Former Bloemfontein Celtic and Orlando Pirates fan-favourite Mark Mayambela was, alongside a number of other coaches, hard at work in Lesotho over the last month doing the CAF B License Coaching Diploma, which is the third-highest coaching qualification in the continent after the CAF A and Pro License respectively. The Khayelitsha-born youth mentor is among several retired South African players that have gone to neighboring countries in search of the much sought-after continental coaching badges. Mayambela, who already boasts the UEFA B License coaching badge, sat down with Soccer Laduma's Mikia Kalati to discuss his smooth transition into coaching after hanging up his boots as well as the progress of his young brother, Mihlali, who was part of the Bafana Bafana squad at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ivory Coast. He also refers to his former side's demise as a 'tragedy for football in the country'. Read on…
Mikia Kalati: Mark, thank you for making time to talk to us. You must be very excited to have recently completed your CAF B License Coaching Diploma?
Mark Mayambela: I'm extremely happy and thrilled by the journey and lessons it has brought. I find great joy thinking about the three terms we spent together as coaches. I'm also happy with the warm reception received during my time in Lesotho by the people there and of course the football fraternity at large. The key thing for me besides the badge is the lessons and the experience that it comes with, which I believe is the thing a coach can do for him or herself. Self-empowerment is key in coaching, especially when one has ambitions of changing the face of football in the continent.
MK: What made you choose Lesotho to do your B License coaching badge?
MM: Look, I spoke to Tebogo Moloi and asked him about Lesotho since he has been there before, and he only had good things to say. There are good things that are being implemented by their Technical Director and the Lesotho Football Association. We enjoyed our time working with the instructors that were assigned to oversee the course. I left Lesotho as a better coach and human being. I thank the instructors we had there for the knowledge imparted on us. I learnt a lot about football and I'm grateful to God for the opportunity I had during the three blocks of the course working with other coaches. Our gratitude goes to the leadership of the Lesotho Football Association for being part of the course. I enjoyed every moment of it.
MK: Now that you have completed your training for the CAF B License Coaching Badge, do you feel it's time to coach in the elite leagues?
MM: No, not yet. I'm still in a quest to empower myself. I still have at least another two years in youth football while I do my coaching badges.
MK: So, would you turn down an opportunity to coach a PSL team if such came along?
MM: Yes, I would, because it would be taking me away from the pathway I have set for myself. I'm the U16/U18 coach at Cape Town City FC and I have made good progress and continue to do so.
MK: Recent reports have linked you with the role of assistant coach for the South African national U17 team…
MM: I'm sorry, I do not want to talk about it now.
MK: Fair enough. Was it not difficult to move into coaching after retiring and do you dream of one day coaching in Mzansi's topflight?
MM: For me, it was easy because I developed great passion for coaching while I was still playing. I have ambitions to coach in Europe. However, I'm not blocking an opportunity to coach PSL football.
MK: Your fellow Capetonian, in Benni McCarthy, is making inroads working in Europe, as a strikers' coach at Manchester United. There's also Steven Pienaar coaching in the youth structures of UAE side Sharjah FC, having been at Ajax Amsterdam's youth academy before that. Is that a motivation for you to follow in their footsteps?
MM: Of course, they have been doing well in their careers. However, what interests me the most is that they became some of the most successful players in our country, yet they still went through all the coaching badges to empower themselves, which, for me, is very inspiring.
MK: You announced your retirement from the game a little over a year ago. Are you happy with what you achieved as player?
MM: More than happy. It was great to play football for 14 years while changing my family's wellbeing and bringing dignity to our home. I have touched many lives and inspired many young boys and girls to believe, and that is my greatest legacy. In every corner of the country and the many parts of the continent, there are players that call themselves Mark Mayambela.
MM: Your young brother, Mihlali, has taken over the baton. Are you happy with how his career is progressing so far?
MM: Words cannot describe how proud I am. He has done extremely well in all aspects of life and has become a great man. We get to discuss the games he plays, I enforce the good he has done and correct the errors. It's important for him to get that feedback for growth.
MK: He was part of the Bafana Bafana squad at the Africa Cup of Nations and seems to be an important member of the Hugo Broos' team. The family must surely have been proud to see him represent his country at the continental showpiece.
MM: For sure. Gratitude to the coach and his staff for showing great trust in him. I hope he continues to show his talent and play well for his club and country. The family is proud of the good progress his career continues to see.
MK: Broos has been attracting a lot of attention since his appointment as national team coach. What do you make of the progress made under his tutelage?
MM: He has been doing well for Bafana and brought back a lot of hope to South Africans, and I'm happy with the progress made under his leadership. He is an experienced coach and has had great success in his career. He knows what he is doing.
MK: Were you happy with the performance of the team at the tournament in Cote d'Ivoire?
MM: Bafana made good strides at the tournament under coach Broos. There is a lot of improvement in the way the team plays. I certainly thought we had the capacity to go all the way and win it, but I'm proud that they reached the semi-finals.
MK: Which players stood out for you?
MM: Themba Zwane has been leading by example as far as the performance of the team is concerned. He inspires everyone in the squad. However, my favourite is Sphephelo Sithole. He is a brilliant player that offers good offensive play and is equally good defensively. The future is bright with the young man and I think he has done his talking on the field of play in Cote d'Ivoire.
MK: You speak highly of Sithole, who has also been showered with praises by the legendary Doctor Khumalo. Do you think playing in Europe at an early age has helped him?
MM: He has been my best player thus far for Bafana Bafana. We need to send more players to Europe as early as possible and there are many advantages of that. But not only players but coaches as well so that we all benefit and improve.
MK: Talking of Zwane, Thembinkosi Lorch was the talk of the recent transfer window after his surprise move from your former club Orlando Pirates to Mamelodi Sundowns. Do you think he will shine at Chloorkop?
MM: Lorch is a top player, and it would be beneficial to any team that has him in their squad. What is important for him at this stage is that he needs to be happy with his decision to leave Pirates and join Sundowns.
MK: You doing your CAF B License Coaching Diploma in Lesotho might have brought a lot of memories about Bloemfontein Celtic as the two places are close to each other.
MM: That was and still is a special place in my life. Being in Lesotho and discussing with other coaches who enrolled in the course has really brought back those memories. We have discussed Celtic at length and how they enjoyed watching me play for the club. A lot of memories were created playing for the club and I still have a special relationship with the supporters of the club.
MK: It surely hurts that a team that was so close to your heart is no longer there in the elite league of South African football.
MM: Of course. The lowest moment in South African football for me. How can we allow that? It is a tragedy for football in the country unfortunately and I feel very sorry for people of Bloemfontein and the whole Free State province that they no longer have a team playing in the elite league of South African football. Celtic was a big brand and the people of that province deserve better.
MK: What's your assessment of the PSL since you retired, and are there players that have caught your attention?
MM: I work a lot with young players and I'm a huge fan of youth football. They have special talent and are probably the future of South African football. There are players that have caught my attention such as Lonwabo Magugwana at Orlando Pirates, Xhosa Manyana at Cape Town City, Siyabonga Mabena at Mamelodi Sundowns, Emile Witbooi and Mfundo Vilakazi at Kaizer Chiefs.
MK: You have worked with several coaches through your coaching career. Who are those that have had a big impact for you to have followed in their footsteps?
MM: Most of the coaches that inspired me were those that came from Europe. However, Stanley Menzo is the coach that inspired me the most.
MK: Lastly, you got to watch the Lesotho Premier league during your stay in the Kingdom. What do you make of their league?
MM: There is a lot of talent in Lesotho from an individual point of view and I'm not surprised that their players are attracting interest and breaking into the PSL market.
MK: Thank you once again, Prof, and we wish you the best of luck in your very promising coaching career.
MM: It's been a pleasure. Thank you.
