Mark “Luphiwana” Mayambela, a name etched in the annals of South African football history for his mesmerizing skills and captivating performances on the pitch, has embarked on a new chapter in his illustrious career. Renowned for his flair and entertainment value, particularly during his tenure with Bloemfontein Celtics, Orlando Pirates just to name a few clubs he has played for. Mayambela has now turned his focus to coaching, aiming to impart his wisdom and passion for the game to the next generation.

In a chat with Box2BoxDiski, Mayambela opened up about his coaching journey, familial ties, and aspirations for the future. Transitioning from the adrenaline-fueled world of professional football to the strategic realm of coaching was a natural progression for Mayambela, whose passion for mentoring and guiding young talents blossomed alongside his playing career.

” I left playing for coaching immediately and while I was playing and the passion for coaching was developing and to an extent that the passion for coaching was probably greater now than the passion for playing. So stopping football was not a problem and I was happy also moving from playing to coaching as well. Fortunately I was in an environment, a professional environment at Cape Town City and I was roped into their youth system and it also made it a little bit easier for me to transit. Of course playing had its own dynamics, the adrenaline like travelling.”

” I played football for 14 years, I felt I had done enough for me and I was happy. I was also excited about the journey ahead of coaching so really it was not a difficult period for me transitioning from playing to coaching. I think I got the same feeling when I started coaching as I did when I started playing so the passion for playing, the passion for coaching you know they made it easy for me to transit from coaching to playing.”

” I always say that I was blessed to to play football and to have this career and to have this talent for me it was a blessing you know having to do what I love every day and make a living out of I think that’s the greatest blessing that God has given me you know and having to use the football to change my family’s well-being to inspire the community to inspire the youth to see young boys calling themselves Mayambela. For me it’s a great achievement and it was a beautiful journey of course it is ups and downs like life that we need to embrace as well.”

” Life is not only about good moments but also the bad although they’re not so good moments whereby also you learn from, I built my character from all the struggles that I’ve gone through and they made me the person that I am today. I appreciate everything that I received in football.”

Mayambela’s coaching aspirations are underpinned by a commitment to continuous growth and education. He articulates his ambitions, stating, “Goals and ambition, of course, from an educational point of view, I want to study further in terms of coaching pages, do maybe my UEFA Pro licence or do my CAF Pro licence.” His vision extends beyond personal accolades to encompass coaching at the national team level and abroad, reflecting his desire to make a lasting impact on the global football stage.

“I have goals and ambitions ,of course, from an educational point of view, I want to study further in terms of coaching badges. I want to do my UEFA Pro licence or CAF Pro licence. I still want to be in the youth for the next three years. I have ambitions, you know, of also coaching a national team level and coaching Europe.”

Central to Mayambela’s coaching ethos is his profound connection with his brother, Mihlali, whom he affectionately describes as his “first-born son.” Their shared experiences, both on and off the field, have shaped their respective journeys, fostering a deep understanding and mutual support that transcends the bounds of siblinghood.

” I’m proud of what he has achieved. I’m happy for him. It’s something that he has been dreaming of, playing in the national team and playing in Europe. I also think that he can do more. There’s a lot that he can do to help the nation, also in football. There’s a lot that he still has to offer.He deserves it. He works hard. He’s a good person. You know, he invests in his football, he invests in himself and is an honest man.

“My brother is like my first-born son, he stayed with me before playing professional and he stayed with me while I was in Joburg, he shared a lot. He is one person that knows my journey. He has seen it all, the lows, the highs,he’s been there. We still have the same relationship, now he’s grown, he’s a big man, he makes his own decisions.”

“We grew up without our immediate Fathers, we grew up with our Grandfather,we had each other since he was young. So when he first started playing, he played for Old Mutual Academy and that is where i also started my career.I saw from an early age around 11-12 that he has football brains, there’s a football talent in him. So our relationship shaped us in life as well, outside the game.”

Reflecting on his coaching qualifications, Mayambela underscores the importance of continuous learning and development. He holds a CAF B license and a UEFA B license, with plans to pursue advanced certifications to enhance his coaching acumen further.

“At the moment I hold a CAF B licence and a UEFA B licence,but very soon I am starting with my UEFA A licence with the Irish FA again. It’s been good, it’s been challenging, it’s been growth personally, it has taught me a lot of stuff, it has instilled a lot of habits, but also coaching badges alone is not enough. You still have to do supplementary courses like Sports Psychology, Periodisation in terms of football fitness and conditioning so that you understand every element of the game.”

” Mayambela’s coaching philosophy is informed by his experiences as a player and the influences of various mentors and coaches he encountered throughout his career. He emphasizes the need to inspire and empower communities through football, leveraging the sport as a tool for social cohesion and positive change.”

” Being coached by different coaches and seeing different coaches, seeing different behaviours, seeing different leadership, there are coaches that inspired me to say this is what I want to do also for my players. This is how I want my players to feel about me as a coach.”

“There were coaches that were not so inspiring, but there were lessons within those moments whereby I would say this is not how I’m supposed to coach my team, this is not how I’m supposed to treat my players, this is not how I’m supposed to treat people as well. So even in those bad moments with coaches, there were lessons to say these are things that I am not going to do as a coach.”

” So there are a lot of things that inspired me, but also I want to change how people view football and I want to change how football is played in our country. I want to inspire in football and I want to use football as a tool to inspire communities as well. We live in communities that are overwhelmed by social problems and socio-economic challenges and so i think football can also one of the tools that God has given to us to help our communities to bring social cohesion, to bring racial diversity, being united. So hopefully that I will do it.”

As Mayambela imparts his advice to young footballers, he emphasizes the significance of faith, hard work, and character. He urges aspiring athletes to cultivate a relationship with God, maintain consistency, and surround themselves with positive influences that nurture personal and professional growth.

” They must seek God, have a relationship with God. Open yourself up to Him. I know that with young people, being a Christian or being a God-fearing person or believing in Jesus, it seems as an uncool thing for , but, it’s important for one to have this relationship for many, many, many reasons.”

In alignment with his coaching aspirations, Mayambela echoes the sentiments of legendary manager Arsene Wenger, advocating for a renewed focus on football education in Africa. He emphasizes the pivotal role of coaching in shaping the future of the sport and calls for a collective effort to elevate South African football to new heights.

” Wenger said something that is fundamental, that the next big step for Africa is football education, which is your coaching badges, your supplementary courses. Be knowledge seeking, empowering. It will help groom the coach that will coach the player, so it also influences how you influence your players, how, the volume, the intensity, you need to understand all these things, so for us in South Africa, that’s the first step. We need coaches that want to develop this game.”

“I’m also one of the coaches that wants to develop the game, wants to change the narrative about the game, wants to change the narrative about players, wants to change the way football is played in South Africa to suit South African players as well. It is a long way, it should be a collective approach and everyone being in the same wavelength in terms of how we want to coach our players and how we train them in the football that we want to play.”

Mayambela’s journey from a beloved player to an aspiring coach epitomizes resilience, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. As he continues to carve his path in the coaching realm, his legacy as a pioneer and mentor in South African football is poised to inspire generations to come.