The Downs mentor was asked if he agreed with remarks by Teko Modise and Hlompho Kekana that the current crop did not easily intimidate opposition in comparison to when they were still playing for The Brazilians.

Mngqithi then admitted he prefers opposition who do not approach them with fear, before arguing that whoever does not fear a team that has scored 11 goals in their last four outings would be

"I would not want to be feared before the fight – personally, that's how I am because you know, when you are fighting a coward and he's already scared of you, he will give you the biggest left hook you've ever seen because he does not want a comeback," said Mngqithi.

"But when people don't fear you, I think it's better because it means they would not pull all stops to try and make sure that they stop you.

"But if you are not scared of a team that is capable of scoring 11 goals in three [Carling Knockout] matches, then there's something wrong with you."

The Sundowns coach also spoke well of his opposite number in Clinton Larsen ahead of their Carling Knockout final clash on Saturday in Bloemfontein.

"I always have a lot of respect for coaches that have coached at almost all the levels of football – I always have a lot of respect for such coaches because they are not talking about something they don't know, they have experienced it," he added.

"A lot of people that have so much to say in football, but they are so limited because they have not really experienced practically to coach in environments that may not have anything to support you, but you're still expected to bring the results.

"Clinton's journey in football is probably as close as possible to mine, I think he has coached in almost all the levels – LFA, development, SAB League, ABC Motsepe, NFD, and all these levels.

"So when he talks, I always listen because I know it's coming from, not just knowledge but wisdom."

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