Mokwena Discusses Latest Addition To Downs Technical Team

He also recently had a short stint as Head Coach of Venda Football Academy and did previously work at Orlando Pirates between 2018 and 2020 as head coach of the Diski Challenge side and first-team performance analyst, where he was working alongside Mokwena.

With Mokwena himself yet to explain the addition of Loftman to his backroom stuff, iDiski Times asked the Downs coach about the reasons why he was roped in.

“Michael is someone that I have extremely good relations [with]. It helps when someone has incredible quality, and you also got very good relations,” he stated.

“[He is] a very qualified coach, very hard-working with very good qualities – competence, technical expertise. Someone that knows the South African game quite well now, having been in the country for quite some time.

“Like any other addition to the technical team, for sure, as one of the leaders of the club I have to have an opinion and some form of influence with regards to the composition of the technical team.

“Fortunately the club was in support, because then it’s something that is for the club, to help the club move into a very good direction.

“We are very happy, like the statement that club released [said], we are very happy that Michael is with us and are looking forward to him working with the rest of the team and the coaches, like coach Manqoba [Mngqithi], coach Steve [Komphela] and coach Wendell [Robinson].

“So exciting times ahead. We welcome him with warm hands and look forward to the contribution that he’s going to make.”

Loftman was also part of Carlos Queiroz’s technical team for Egypt, where he served as a performance analyst, and prior to that worked at the Belgian club, Lommel SK, which is part of the City Group.