When African Warriors was promoted from the then Vodacom League in 2007, Molefi Ntseki found himself tasked with leading the club in the first division.
Ntseki sat on the bench with Morena Ramoreboli and Meshack Tsotetsi as his assistants in a team that had veteran defender Joseph Bwalya, Jacob Mokhasi in goals, Thiyekile ‘Ace’ Gulwa and Abram Nteo while Fees Moloi featured upfront in the twilight of his career.
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The club from Phuthaditjhaba was owned by the late Jabu Khumalo (former Free State Stars PRO).
A teacher by profession, Ntseki had previously been with another lower division club in the Free State, Welkom Stars while also working at Harmony Academy before arriving at Warriors whose slogan was ‘Mayihlome Ihlasele’.
Ntseki took charge for the 2007/08 season as Warriors finished fourth in the inland stream.
His regular starting line-up in his first season at Warriors had Bwalya, Tumane Khosholo, Aaron Lepele, Lerato Mofokeng, Mokhasi, Koloko Mokhethi, James Mokoena, Mohau Mokopanela, Moloi, Boiki Mosia, and Moholo Nhlapo.
The next season Ntseki stayed on as Warriors campaigned in the coastal stream where they finished third.
Lepele and Mofokeng carried the load supported by Lebajoa Mphongoa, Nteo, Shaun Oliver, Molefi Sekhokho, and Khosholo.
Through his two years in the NFD, Ntskeki won 18 out of 42 league games and was noticeable for his calm demeanour and consistency in liaising with his second in charge Ramoreboli.
The 2008/09 season was the last time Ntseki ran the affairs of a club as a head coach.
This then means the last game that Ntseki took charge of as a head a coach at club level was the NFD league match against Vasco da Gama on May 2, 2009, at the Charles Mopeli Stadium.
After that Ntseki became an assistant coach at Bloemfontein Celtic where he served under Clinton Larsen for two years.
From there onwards he was at SAFA working at all levels of the national team from Under-17, Under-20, and Under-23 before getting his chance at the top as head coach of Bafana Bafana.
Ntseki’s reign as the Bafana head coach had Zwane as one of the assistants and ended with failure to qualify for the 2021 AFCON finals.
Based on Ntseki’s coaching history it now means Chiefs’ last two head coach appointments have been to men who had never held a head coaching job in the DStv Premiership before.
For Zwane, it ended with 12 defeats in 30 league games and a leaking defence that conceded more than the team scored.
How Ntseki fares will be informed by how he fixes the club's defensive problems with the signing of Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Given Msimango.
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