Mandla Ncikazi Addresses Alleged Fallout With Abdeslam Ouaddou After Orlando Pirates Exit

• Mandla Ncikazi spoke publicly for the first time about his departure from Orlando Pirates after joining Golden Arrows last month
• Reports linked his exit to a breakdown in his relationship with head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, which Ncikazi neither confirmed nor denied
• The former Pirates assistant coach invoked a personal principle about protecting former and current employers when pressed by the media

Former Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has spoken out for the first time since leaving the Buccaneers, addressing speculation that his departure was driven by a strained relationship with head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.

Ncikazi departed Orlando Pirates last month after five years at the club, moving to Golden Arrows. His exit prompted widespread media speculation about whether tensions with the Moroccan tactician had played a role in his decision to leave.

Ncikazi refuses to be drawn into speculation

Speaking to the media following Golden Arrows' match against Mamelodi Sundowns, Ncikazi was careful not to confirm or deny the reported rift. He instead cited a personal principle of not speaking negatively about former employers, arguing that doing so would also reflect poorly on his new club.

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"Let me answer him. Guys, for the future, as a principle, and as a man of my age, you don't talk ill of your former employer because you will offend them. Equally the same, when I speak about my former employer, I'm offending my current employer," he told the media.

The seasoned coach used a candid metaphor to convey his view that every organisation has internal challenges that are best kept private.

"Every house has a toilet. As a man, you don't have to tell everyone that you have challenges in your family. Even if there was a problem, you will never know. I'm a man, I've got a responsibility to protect the environment I work in, irrespective of the environment," Ncikazi said.

A coach who keeps club business private

Ncikazi went further, noting that the same approach had guided him throughout his entire coaching career, drawing on experience across multiple clubs.

"In every club I've worked for, there were issues, but I don't have the responsibility to publicly tell. As a coach, you're the CEO of the company, so protect that environment. I have no comment," he concluded.

During his five years at Orlando Pirates, Ncikazi was part of a technical team that collected eight trophies with the Soweto club. His silence on the Ouaddou matter appears deliberate, with his remarks offering more insight into his professional conduct than into the actual circumstances of his exit.

Source: Briefly News