South Africa's Under-20 and U-23 coach Raymond Mdaka has achieved significant success in recent years, winning back-to-back Cosafa Under-20 titles and the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations trophy. This was the first youth continental title lifted by a South African team. Mdaka's team also participated in the 2025 Fifa U-20 World Cup in Chile, where they lost to Colombia in the last 16. At 56, Mdaka is recognized as one of the best young coaches and coaches of youth in South Africa.
Mdaka's latest achievement was winning the Cosafa U-20 Cup with a final win against hosts Mozambique in Maputo on Sunday. This victory will send Amajita to the Afcon in Ghana next year as defending champions. Mdaka and his current crop of players will be looking to make it two out of two in that competition. Despite his success, Mdaka prefers to fly under the radar and does not seek to draw attention to himself. He believes that focusing on his work rather than seeking praise is essential to his success.
Mdaka's approach to coaching is centered around doing what he can do best in the present moment. He believes that looking too far ahead or seeking validation can lead to losing focus. "If I am looking for people to be praising and saying things about me, I may lose focus," he said. Mdaka's commitment to his work is evident in his actions, as he arrived back in the country from Cosafa with the U-20s on Monday and went straight into camp with the U-23s.
Mdaka is currently coaching both the U-20 and U-23 teams, which presents a challenge. However, he and his team were prepared for this and had it in their program. The U-23 team has many talented players who have made a mark at younger levels, including Fletcher Smythe-Lowe, Asekho Tiwani, and Emile Witbooi. Mdaka's task is to balance the team and make the best use of the available talent.
Mdaka faces the challenge of selecting the best players for the U-23 team, as there are many talented players available. He and his team use profiling to determine who can do best in each position. Mdaka believes that having a good balance of players is crucial to achieving success. He is working to get the best combination of players that will give Amajita good results.
The current U-23 team camp is focused on preparing the players for the Olympic qualifiers. Mdaka wants his youngsters to spend time together and get more match minutes ahead of the qualifiers. The team will play two friendly matches against Algeria in Bloemfontein on Thursday and Sunday. These matches will provide valuable experience for the players and help Mdaka assess their progress.
Despite the challenges he faces, Mdaka remains committed to his work and is focused on achieving success with Amajita. He believes that without preparation, nothing can happen, and he is working hard to ensure that the team is well-prepared for the challenges ahead. Even if the U-23s beat a strong Algeria side, Mdaka will likely continue to fly under the radar, preferring to focus on his work rather than seeking attention.
Key points
- Raymond Mdaka's success with Amajita includes winning back-to-back Cosafa Under-20 titles and the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations trophy.
- Mdaka prefers to fly under the radar and focus on his work rather than seeking praise or attention.
- The U-23 team faces a challenge in selecting the best players, as there are many talented players available.
