Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi insists building a winning culture remains the priority despite their promising Nedbank Cup run.
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With the Nedbank Cup springing one surprise after another this season, Lamontville Golden Arrows have quietly positioned themselves as genuine contenders for what would be just the second major trophy in the club’s history.
Abafana Bes’thende are among the eight teams left standing in the competition, and with defending champions Kaizer Chiefs already eliminated, a new winner will be crowned.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit are one of five remaining Premiership sides and now turn their attention to a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against Durban City, arguably the standout fixture of the round.
Arrows are chasing a first semi-final appearance since the 2018/19 campaign. Considering they had failed to progress beyond the last 16 in their previous seven attempts, reaching the quarter-finals already marks significant progress for the club.
At the same time, they remain locked in a separate battle in the Betway Premiership, sitting ninth — just four points adrift of the top eight. Head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has acknowledged the team’s recent strides in a competition famed for turning dreams into reality, but insists the bigger picture remains consistency rather than cup glory.
“The cup run is not among the most important things,” Mngqithi said.
“I just want my players to win the next match and fight for the next, and if it breaks down somewhere, then it's okay.”
Mngqithi stressed that building a winning culture outweighs any single competition.
“I want us to treat every match the same, and we must want to win a football match, be it a friendly or a practice match. That is the culture I want to instill so that a lot of other things take care of themselves.
“That will help the players to understand the pressure of wanting to win, and whether it's the cup or not, what is important is the result at the end.”
The tournament has been blown wide open following the exits of favourites Orlando Pirates, Chiefs and former champions Mamelodi Sundowns, offering so-called smaller clubs a rare opportunity to etch their names into history.
While Mngqithi stopped short of boldly declaring a title charge, he admitted the incentive of continental football is impossible to ignore, with the winner earning a place in the Caf Confederation Cup.
“I want to win every football match and whatever happens can happen,” he said.
“I will never go into any match not wanting to win it. I am ready for any match, and why not? Stellies have gone there.
“If we can go there, it's good for the club because the club is old and it deserves that. The financial rewards of playing in Africa are far higher than what people think and that is very important.
“Whether we have the budget for that we will cross that bridge when we get there, but at this stage I do not want to think about that — just about the next match.”
Before returning to cup matters, Arrows will shift their focus back to league duty when they face Chippa United in the Betway Premiership — a crucial encounter in their push to secure a top-eight finish.
* Obakeng Meletse is Independent Media’s multi-sport writer. For fresh video content, follow our YouTube channel The Clutch