Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has emerged as a bigger person after questions were asked about his handling of the Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau situation that threatened to divide the change room.
Mokoena and Mudau being at odds with Mngqithi in his early reign in charge as the sole head coach tested his leadership skills and resolve.
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The 53-year-old made an unpopular decision to omit the duo from his squad after side were knocked out of the MTN8 semi-finals.
Sundowns got off to a flying start in the CAF Champions League preliminary stages and league without the pair, who were re-integrated later, perhaps their return sped up by their performance in Bafana Bafana.
Particularly Mokoena, who scored a brace against South Sudan.
After his departure from the club, Mngqithi admitted that at the time he was not seeing eye-to-eye with both players.
"I'm one person who does not want to hang my dirty linen in public and solely for good reasons, that these are other people's kids and they still have a future in football and the moment I say negative things about players in a public domain, I'm being unfair," Mngqithi said, reflecting on his tumultuous relationship with the duo on 947's MSW.
"Because then people will use that against some players and if somebody has done me something wrong, it's better I deal with it and solve it one against one and once it is solved, I move on. Once somebody has realised his mistake and apologised, I also move on. There are players that made mistakes and apologised and when they apologised, I accepted."
The outspoken tactician stamping down his authority early on showed decisive leadership, as the matter had the potential to dent his standing and personality as a coach.
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It is also credit to Mngqithi that the matter did not divide the squad, at least from the outside looking in.
"When I took the decision, I'm proud of the decision. I wouldn't want to comment [on] why I made those decisions, but to be honest, I'm very happy with those decisions because I think after that, the situation became very good for the team and for everybody else around the club."