Coach Andisiwe Mgcoyi on Building a Winning Team

COACH ANDISIWE MGCOYI

ON BUILDING A WINNING TEAM

Author: Erica Mathye

The transition of youth footballers into the academy system is not an easy one and it requires guidance and patient coaching. The ultimate goal for the Ladies' development coach, Andisiwe Mgcoyi has been to build a winning team in the youth set that resembles the Ladies' Team.

“Playing under the leadership of Coach Jerry Tshabalala in the Ladies Team, we are pushed to win every game. So, I’m passing that winning mentality on to the development players. Exposure to the First Team also helps them understand the level of performance that they will face and what to expect when they get promoted. I would like to see most of them get promoted to the First Team and play abroad someday,” said the youth development coach.

Having emerged second in the Tshwane Promotional League in the 2023 season and completing the season with an unbeaten record, the U20 Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, led by the Sundowns Ladies veteran striker, have been promoted to the Tshwane Regional League, where they kicked off the season as debutants.

Amongst Coach Andisiwe’s highly talented team are two rising youngsters Sethabile Kamwande and Matobane Moshugi who have made waves in the different competitions since joining the Club in the 2018/19 and 2021/22 seasons respectively.

Matobane Moshugi

In conversation with the Digital Magazine, midfielder, Moshugi, reflected on her progress from when she joined the Club at the age of 15, and further revealed how the exposure to the First Team has motivated her performance.

“Mamelodi Sundowns is a very big institution, not only in South Africa but in Africa as a whole. So, when I first came here, I was starstruck because it felt so surreal. There are a lot of stars in the Ladies First Team, a lot. Almost ten of them play for Banyana Banyana, so training with them felt unreal. I remember the first time I trained with them, seeing Bambanani Mbane felt like a dream; she just had a star aura. Boitumelo Rabale too. They are outstanding players on and off the pitch,” she said.

Having both trained with Coach Jerry’s team, a side that is no stranger to winning and collecting silverware, the winning formula has rubbed off on the rest of the U20s team. The two rising stars have both admitted that they did not struggle with the transition from training in the youth setup and the Senior Ladies Team. Reflecting on the experience and how Coach Andisiwe helped them.

“It was not difficult because I think she’s an amazing person. Coach Andisiwe is a great human being and a wonderful coach. It wasn’t a huge shift because I’m used to her character. I knew what she would expect from us,” Moshugi stated.

“Being coached by Coach Andi has helped me and my teammates with confidence. We get to learn firsthand how to play great football from someone who does play great football and someone we can look up to. She has been an example of what true hard work is and it helps that we still have the opportunity to watch her play in the First team and see her hard work pay off. It’s easier to be a hard worker and a great footballer with a person of coach Andi’s calibre coaching you,” Kamwande confidently stated.

Since the Tshwane Regional League kicked off, the young Banyana Ba Style remains unbeaten, According to Moshugi and Kamwande, this league is preparing them for other competitive tournaments like the Engen Knockout Challenge.

Sethabile Kamwande

“We have amazing players and coaches. Last season we were unbeaten, so for us to be unbeaten even this season, we’ll have to play fantastic football. Our goal this season is to treat the league as it comes. A game at a time but also not registering a loss because we don’t want to lose,” said Mato.

“The biggest goal for us this season is to win the Engen Knockout Cup, so this league will be in preparation for that. We will work hard and push not only to lift the Engen Knockout Cup trophy, but also to maintain an unbeaten streak in the league,” Kamwande stated.

Coach Andiswe reiterated the sentiments shared by the two young stars, also highlighting that the main objective this season for her charges is to get promoted to the Sasol Women’s League, a league she thinks would challenge them.

“This season we will be pushing to play in the Sasol Women’s League. We are happy that we are a step closer to achieving the goals that were set when the academy was started.”

“I would like us to win the Engen Knockout Challenge because last year we couldn’t even get to the semi-finals. We would also like to win the play-offs so we can get the Sasol Women’s League promotion that we want so badly,” Coach Andisiwe concluded.

GET TO KNOW MATOBANE AND SETHABILE

MATOBANE

1. Date of birth: 26 October 2006
2. Nickname: Mato
3. Role models in the Club: Bambanani Mbane, Sipho Mbule & Teboho Mokoena
4. Role models internationally: Lionel Messi & Anita Bonmati
5. Favourite football team: Liverpool
6. Accolades:
● Best Football Player, Curro, 2021 & 2023
● Most Improved Player, Randburg FC, 2021
● VW Vaya Cup Champions, 2022
● Golden Boot, Curro, 2021 & 2022
● St Peter’s Tournament, Best XI, 2023
● Top Goal Scorer, Waterstone Cup, 2023
● Waterstone Super Cup Champions, 2023

SETHABILE

1. Date of birth: 1 July 2008
2. Nickname: Setera
3. Role models in the Club: Andisiwe Mgcoyi, Karabo Dhlamini and Lehlogonolo Mashego
4. Role models internationally: Christiano Ronaldo, Kyle Walker and Sergio Ramos
5. Favourite football teams: Mamelodi Sundowns, Manchester City and Real Madrid
6. Accolades:
● Defending Player of the Year, Engen Knockout Challenge, 2021
● VW Vaya Cup Champions, 2022
● Joburg Basadi Football Challenge Champions, 2023 (First Team)
● 4 National Team Caps

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