Assistant coach Manqoba Mngqithi has dismissed suggestions that he opted to remain at Mamelodi Sundowns out of a fear of pursuing new projects elsewhere.
The Brazilians are putting in the final preparations for the MTN8 Final against Orlando Pirates to be played at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
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Addressing media at the pre-match press conference on Thursday, the veteran mentor was asked his opinion regarding suggestions that he has stayed at Sundowns' 'comfort-zone' in fear of perhaps more challenging avenues elsewhere.
"Firstly, what I can say is we live in a world with freedom of expression; every has a right to say whatever they want to say," Mngqithi responded.
"Fortunately, we are also conveniently placed in positions where we can forget what we choose to forget and remember what we choose to remember.
"I say this because if you remember correctly, at some point I was one of the youngest coaches in the league and there was only one [top-flight] team in KZN, Golden Arrows.
All the teams that were coached by coaches that were more experienced and believed that they were better than me at the time, ended up relegated.
"But I managed to keep Golden Arrows afloat, right through until I left the club without ever being at risk of relegation. So, when I am this stage of my career and a person thinks I’m scared to leave my comfort zone and all that, It’s okay for a person to think whatever they want to think.
"When you are a coach and you want to be a successful as a coach, It’s important that you develop a very thick skin, because if you listen to whatever everybody else says about you, you might go off the rails.
"Most of the time, maybe it’s advice to you as well, most of the time popular decisions are the wrong decision. When people say do this, you should take a step back a bit and ask yourself what is it that these people are trying to achieve?
"At times what sounds so popular and interesting is so wrong. So to me as a human being, I use my brain. I use my brain, I don’t use my emotions. That’s one of my strengths; I am not emotional.
"I look at situations from all angles and make my decision when the time is right and when I make that decision I will not be expecting people to be clapping hands because It will be my decision."
The MTN8 Final will kick-off at 18:00.
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