Pitso Mosimane says Bafana ceiling can be raised as he eyes second stint in charge

Pitso Mosimane believes he can take Bafana Bafana to a higher level if he is given a second spell as national team coach – and insists “no one is indispensable” in South African football.

The former Bafana boss, who is currently unemployed after leaving Saudi Arabian club Abha, has emerged as one of the leading candidates to replace Hugo Broos should the Belgian’s tenure come to an end.

While stressing that the South African Football Association (Safa) has not made any formal approach, Mosimane made clear he feels better equipped than during his first spell in charge and is ready to return if called upon.

“I think Bafana can go to a certain level and the bar can still be raised,” Mosimane said. “That’s all that I will say. I’ve been there; I know the team. I’ll never say I’m the best, but I know what to do and how to fix it. And no one is indispensable in football.”

The 60-year-old previously coached the national side between 2010 and 2012, a spell that ended in controversy when South Africa mistakenly played for a draw against Sierra Leone, believing it would be enough to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations on goal difference.

That miscalculation – which stemmed from a misunderstanding of the Confederation of African Football’s head-to-head tiebreaker rules – led to an early exit from the qualifying campaign and ultimately cost Mosimane his job.

“I’ve made mistakes at Bafana before,” he admitted. “But when I was there, I was new in coaching. I was only 45 – that’s still young in coaching. I was a novice at that level.

“Now, after so many years of experience, I know myself better, I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses. I’m a better coach than I was then.”

No talks with Safa – but door remains open

Mosimane underlined that, despite growing public debate about his potential return, there has been no direct contact from Safa about the Bafana Bafana position.

“I have not spoken to Safa,” he said. “I don’t want to be seen as someone campaigning for the job or putting pressure on anyone. The association must do what it believes is best for the country.”

However, he admitted that the national team role still carries a powerful emotional pull.

“The flag is always tempting,” he said. “Coaching your national team is the highest honour. If my country needs me and there is a clear plan, I will always listen.”

Since leaving Bafana more than a decade ago, Mosimane has built one of the most successful coaching resumes in African club football.

He won multiple league titles and the CAF Champions League with Mamelodi Sundowns, before claiming further continental success with Al Ahly. More recently he has worked in the Gulf region, including spells in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

That experience, he believes, has sharpened his tactical and man-management skills and given him a broader understanding of the modern game.

“I’ve been exposed to different football cultures, different pressures, different expectations,” Mosimane said. “All of that changes you. You grow.

“What I can say is that if I ever go back to Bafana, I would not be the same coach who left in 2012. I would bring all that experience back with me.”

Respect for Broos and focus on national progress

Mosimane was careful not to criticise Broos, who guided Bafana Bafana to a surprise third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast and remains under contract.

“The current coach has done well at Afcon,” Mosimane said. “We must respect that. I’m not here to speak against him or to say I should replace him.

“The discussion should always be about what is best for South African football, not about Pitso Mosimane or any individual.”

He added that the country now has a stronger core of players with international experience, particularly those based overseas, and that this provides a platform for further improvement – whoever is in charge.

“Bafana has a good base now. The team has shown it can compete,” he said. “The question is: can we go higher? Can we be consistent? That is where the next step lies.”

Mosimane is currently weighing up several options for his next move in club management but said that any offer from Safa, if it came with a clear long-term vision, would be difficult to ignore.

“For now, I am a coach without a club,” he said. “I’m listening, I’m learning, and I’m preparing for the next project.

“If that project is Bafana, and if everyone is aligned on the direction, then of course I will be ready. But until then, I remain on the outside, like everyone else, hoping the national team continues to move forward.”