The appointment of Romain Folz at Mamelodi Sundowns shocked the football fraternity but Manqoba Mngqithi has allayed fears amidst conspiracy theories.
Although Folz enhanced his reputation after working with Arsene Wenger, who was heading the FIFA High Performance Development project, the French coach had been in coaching wilderness after his short stints in his previous clubs.
The 37-year-old coach lasted just over two months in his first job in the PSL before he was relieved of his duties at Marumo Gallants in 2022.
'Fohloza', as the young coach is referred to in the country, lasted six months at AmaZulu between October 2022 and April 2023.
Folz could also not stay beyond three months at his previous club before he joined the FIFA development programme, Horoya in late 2023.
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The well spoken French tactician has not spent at least one full season in any club he has coached in his career.
And so it came as a shock, given his lack of credentials in the coaching space, that he was announced by Sundowns as their new assistant coach.
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Mngqithi, currently leading the technical team at the Brazilians, says that he's the one who recommended Folz to the club.
"To be honest it's just a shame in our country because when you did not do well with a team, sometimes you've done well and because the team decided to let go of you, people start to make their own judgements," Mngqithi said on 947's MSW.
"But if you look at what 'Fohloza' did at Marumo, the players that he brought there, firstly, he brought [Junior] Dion, who is at AmaZulu, top player, who has done well in the country. He brought [Ismael] Toure, who is now at Stellenbosch, top player. Lesiba Nku, top player that is doing well even for us at Sundowns.
"You just go back and look at the games of Marumo during his time, then you'll realize the ability and the quality of this young man. I can tell South Africans that I've brought a good coach next to me. Even the ones that are talking negatively, one day, when they get to hear him, they will understand that I don't bring people because they are my cousins or uncles or what, I've always brought serious coaches in front of me," the 53-year-old mentor added.
There are allegations going around that Sundowns are assembling a technical team for a new incoming head coach, who would take over in the near future.