Former Bafana Bafana striker Katlego Mphela believes Pitso Mosimane is the perfect candidate to take over from Hugo Broos. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Pitso Mosimane’s unfinished business with Bafana Bafana and his desire to coach and succeed in international competition make him the prime candidate for the national team coaching role, according to former striker Katlego Mphela.
Sunday World reported over the weekend that Safa had confirmed Mosimane is among the candidates who have submitted resumes to succeed Hugo Broos, whose contract concludes after the Fifa World Cup in North America.
Long before the news broke, Mosimane had openly shared his willingness to return to the Bafana dugout. He has previously argued that he was unfairly dismissed during his first stint between 2010 and 2012 following a failure to qualify for a major tournament.
Mosimane added that he was not given enough time to stamp his authority and implement his philosophy. At the time, he was young and relatively inexperienced at the international level, having previously served as Carlos Alberto Parreira’s assistant ahead of the 2010 World Cup on home soil.
Now wiser and far more knowledgeable after earning his CAF Pro License and winning a cabinet of trophies with African powerhouses Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly – including three CAF Champions League titles – Mosimane feels fully prepared for a return to the national team.
Mphela, who worked with Mosimane both during his time as Parreira’s assistant and when he took the top job, shares the 61-year-old’s sentiments. The duo notably worked together the infamous "dance of shame" in Mbombela, where the team mistakenly celebrated thinking they had qualified for the 2012 Afcon.
“I think it could be something great for the country for him to take us to the next level,” Mphela told Independent Media in an exclusive interview. “He has unfinished business with the national team."
“He understands South African players well. He has been in the setup before under the likes of Carlos Parreira. He has faced different opponents and has been in different competitions with the national team."
“I think he still feels he was unfairly dismissed and didn’t get enough time. I can also attest to that.
"I don’t think he lost many games; he just didn’t win the crucial ones. I think his return would be very interesting.”
Mosimane’s urge to coach Bafana runs deep. While completing his coaching badges with the Moroccan Football Federation, his classmates included former Senegal coach Aliou Cissé and Morocco tactician Walid Regragui.
The duo went on to achieve historic success with their respective national teams, with Cissé winning Afcon and Regragui reaching the World Cup semi-finals – heights Mosimane has expressed a deep desire to reach with his beloved Bafana.
“Pitso’s ambition perfectly aligns with the national team. Whenever he speaks, he talks about the national team,” Mphela added. “He wants to coach at major tournaments like Afcon and the World Cup."
“We all know he has a highly decorated CV at club level. The only thing missing is coaching and succeeding at a major international tournament. I think he wants to achieve that with his own country.”
Broos has undoubtedly left a solid foundation. He recently guided South Africa to a historic World Cup knockout berth in North America before the team bowed out in the Round of 32 against tournament co-hosts Canada.
On his podcast, Changing the Game with Pitso Mosimane, the veteran coach lauded Broos’ work throughout the campaign, noting that the team's success was a reflection of the solid structure built over the last five years.
Though Broos and Mosimane possess distinct coaching styles, Mphela believes Mosimane would build effectively on the foundation left behind. This comes despite Broos stating he would not offer any advice to his successor, assuming they would be competent enough for the role.
“One thing I know about Pitso is that he wants to implement his own ideas and style of play,” Mphela concluded. “He thoroughly understands football and how the game is constantly evolving and changing."
“So, I don’t think he would want to completely dismantle what Hugo Broos has done. Whoever comes in now has to take the team forward to the next step. We are no longer in the rebuilding phase because the standard has already been set.”