South Africa approach Pitso Mosimane for second stint as head coach
Johannesburg, August 8
South Africa has approached Pitso Mosimane about returning for a second spell as head coach, with veteran Hugo Broos set to leave the role.
South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan said Mosimane was the preferred choice, but added that "we still need to tie up some loose ends" before the appointment can be finalised.
"We will make a formal announcement of the coach next week," he added in a SAFA statement on Saturday, as per Reuters.
The 62-year-old Mosimane took charge of South Africa after the 2010 World Cup, succeeding Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, whom he had worked under for three years.
However, Mosimane was sacked in mid-2012 following a disappointing start to South Africa's 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Mosimane, who has won the African Champions League three times with South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns and Egyptian club Al Ahly, also endured a costly error during South Africa's final 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
He adopted a defensive approach at home against Sierra Leone, believing South Africa only needed a draw to qualify. They actually needed to win to secure their place in the tournament.
Mosimane and his players celebrated at the final whistle, only to discover that they had misunderstood the qualification permutations, with head-to-head results taking precedence over goal difference as the tiebreaker.
Belgian-born Broos, 74, quit as coach after this year's World Cup, where South Africa reached the last 32 before losing to co-hosts Canada.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian football fan who follows African football closely, I think Mosimane is the right choice. His stints at Sundowns and Al Ahly were masterclasses in modern African football management. The 2012 episode was unfortunate, but not everyone gets it right first time. Let's give him a second chance. 🙏
Hmm, isn't this a bit like an arranged marriage after a messy divorce? 😅 Mosimane was shown the door in 2012 for poor results, and now SAFA wants him back? Coach Broos did well at the World Cup - reaching the knockouts is no joke. If Mosimane comes in, he needs to bring that winning mentality from Al Ahly, not the cautious approach from 2012. #BafanaBafana
Interesting move by SAFA. Mosimane has proven pedigree in club football, but international management is a different beast. South Africa needs someone who can handle the pressure of a nation expecting results. The 2012 qualification mix-up was a shocker - that's basic math! Let's hope he's done his homework this time around. 🤞
As someone from India where we also love comeback stories, this feels like a classic Bollywood script! 😄 Mosimane's success at Al Ahly shows he can handle big clubs with huge expectations. But Bafana Bafana is a national team with its own unique pressures. The fact that SAFA is being transparent about "loose ends" suggests they're being careful. Good signs!
M Michael C < We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.