"I know this is simply not a coaching job; it is bigger than Pitso Mosimane," said the new Bafana coach.
New coach Pitso Mosimane has welcomed the challenge of leading Bafana Bafana again.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) officially unveiled Mosimane as the new Bafana head coach on Tuesday at SAFA House.
The 62-year-old makes his return to the job, 14 years after he was sacked by SAFA after Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
A costly miscalculation in the final qualifier against Sierra Leone, where a draw was accepted when a win was required, proved decisive. Word is that the SAFA leadership felt embarrassed after videos of Bafana players celebrating that draw at the Mbombela Stadium in October 2011 went viral.
Much has changed in terms of Mosimane since that embarrassing day as he rejoins the national team as a proven winner after winning multiple trophies including the CAF Champions League, which he won three times – once with Mamelodi Sundowns and twice with Al-Ahly.
Speaking during the press conference to announce his appointment, Mosimane accepted the special opportunity to lead his country again.
“I have been given the privilege of leading our national team again. I take this responsibility knowing that I still have something to give in football, especially in my country,” said Mosimane.
“I know this is simply not a coaching job; it is bigger than Pitso Mosimane. I understand the weight of this role, the expectations that come with it, and what this team means to South Africa. With pride and determination, I accept the challenge,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mosimane has explained why he decided against keeping Helman Mkhalele, who was Broos’ assistant for five years, in his position.
“Everyone and every coach has his own technical team. Right? And I always want to refer to practical questions,” said Mosimane.
“And I’ll tell you about (Carlo) Ancelotti. You know who he takes with? He takes his son. And they have won a lot of trophies. If I had my son next to me here instead of…I think you would be saying some other things.
“He’s got his son and they have won trophies, right? And the world is not looking at Ancelotti and his son, right? It’s looking at the work to be done.
“So, for us, it’s the work done, right? And I have people that have done the FIFA World Cup with me here. Four of them,” commented Mosimane.
Mosimane’s immediate task will be to prepare Bafana for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, which starts next month.
