Manqoba Mngiqthi gives glowing report on youthful Golden Arrows

Despite their Carling Knockout semifinal exit to Marumo Gallants, a match in which Arrows were widely tipped to advance, Mngqithi insists his side did not crumble under pressure. 

The former Mamelodi Sundowns mentor praised his players for their progress and attitude, stressing that setbacks are part of a youthful team’s growth curve.

"I can't be hard on these boys because when we started the season, if I were to say, 'You will be in the Carling Knockout semifinal,' they would have looked at me and said, 'Now this coach is dreaming,'" said Mngqithi.

"So for them to be where they are, to me it's already positive because I did not anticipate that they would be where they are now, because my targets were to see this team [improve] probably after 15 matches in the league in hopes that things would have gelled.

"And for them to do as well as they have done in some of the matches, I think they deserve to be given credit.

"We can't be too harsh on them because the reality is that this was a team that was on the other side of the league last season and things were not looking good."

READ: Mngqithi slams Gallants’ defensive tactics after cup exit

Mngqithi argued that the two defeats against Orlando Pirates in the league and Gallants in the cup back his remarks that Arrows still have some way to go.  

"The strides they've made in such a short space of time should still be appreciated. Yes, it's a fact that most of them maybe have never even played a semifinal before, maybe some were starstruck, especially in our game against Pirates," he added.

"I was surprised to see the level of anxiety and the mistakes we committed in that match, then I had this feeling that maybe – and I think the question is coming from where I also said, I'm not sure whether they will be able to deal with the stage, and the anxiety.

"Because they have never been in this space and, for me, I'm trusting the process because I can see a whole lot of positive things, and the mistakes we commit defensively let the team down big time because the two goals we conceded – I mean, really."