Golden Arrows have reportedly unveiled Mandla Ncikazi as their new head coach following his departure from Orlando Pirates and the dismissal of Pitso Dladla.

Ncikazi returns to the Durban-based club after previously guiding the team to a fourth-place finish in the 2020/21 Premier Soccer League season. His appointment comes as the club looks to improve its performances following a difficult run of results.

Orlando Pirates had earlier confirmed that Ncikazi had left his position as assistant coach to Abdeslam Ouaddou to take up a head coaching role. The announcement indicated that the experienced coach was preparing for a new challenge after working with the Buccaneers.

Ncikazi is said to have signed a two-year contract with the Durban-based club, which will see him earn a monthly salary of R350,000. The reported agreement would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in South African football. However, the club has yet to officially confirm the details of his contract and salary.

Ncikazi takes over after Golden Arrows decided to part ways with Dladla, who had replaced Manqoba Mngqithi when the latter left to take charge of Tanzanian club Young Africans SC.

Dladla's departure came despite the team having lost only two matches under his leadership. Golden Arrows had started the campaign positively, going unbeaten in their first six matches and recording important victories over Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8.

However, their form later declined, with the team going five consecutive matches without a victory. The disappointing run increased the pressure on the technical team and was followed by the decision to make a coaching change.

The return of Ncikazi is expected to bring experience and familiarity to the club. During his previous spell, he helped Golden Arrows finish fourth in the league, showing that the team could compete against some of the strongest sides in the country.

His immediate challenge will be to help the players regain their confidence and improve their results. Golden Arrows will also need to find consistency if they are to remain competitive throughout the season.

Ncikazi will be familiar with the expectations at the club, but he will still need time to assess the squad and establish his preferred approach. Supporters will hope that his return can help the team recover from its recent struggles and produce more positive performances.

The reported two-year agreement would give Ncikazi time to work on the team, although the contract details and salary have not been officially confirmed by Golden Arrows.

Source: IDiskiTimes