Arrows skipper Ayanda Jiyane earns Manqoba Mngqithi’s backing

The centre-back has been ever-present for Abafana Bes’thende, featuring in all 24 Betway Premiership matches this season after taking over the armband from veteran midfielder Gladwin Shitolo six games into the campaign.

Following Arrows’ 1-0 victory over Durban City in the KZN derby on Saturday, Mngqithi singled out Jiyane as one of the standout performers.

"He's been very, very instrumental in our team. He's worked his way up and forced himself into the starting 11 and forced himself into the captaincy because he's probably one of our regular players. I don't think he's missed any match and a very good boy that you'll always wish him all the best because I don't think I've ever had an issue with him as a person,” Mngqithi said.

“He's one of the best boys I've ever worked with and a lot of people would say he's short for a centre back and all that but he's won balls against all the tallest strikers. He's one of the best one against one, he reminds of Siyabonga Sangweni on one against one he's very, very good and very energetic and quick for the type of football that we play because we are a team that wants to be oppositional so we cannot afford to have a slow defender that's why him and Ntando [Mabaso] are forming the best combinations for us because they've got the ability to play as full backs in terms of their speed. 

“They also have the tenacity with the ball and tenacity one v ones. They win their duels, so I'm very excited for this boy."

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The Arrows mentor insisted that Jiyane deserved more credit than even some of the more prominent defenders in the country. 

"And I so wish I can still be part of this process of his growth because I look at Cannavaro [Fabio], Iniesta [Andres], they played with their national teams with that statue. Some of them won trophies, won World Cups with that statue but in South Africa we'd rather go for tall, clumsy malakias."