Pitso Mosimane returns to Bafana Bafana with expectations higher than ever

Pitso Mosimane has returned as Bafana Bafana head coach 14 years after being dismissed in the aftermath of a disappointing World Cup qualifying draw, but the decorated coach now faces a far more demanding challenge.

Mosimane was confirmed in the role on Tuesday, ending a long absence from the South Africa post and completing one of the most remarkable comebacks in the country’s football history.

His first spell ended after a 1-1 draw with Ethiopia in a World Cup qualifier in 2012. The result came after a troubled Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign in which South Africa famously celebrated a draw believing they had secured qualification, only to discover they had failed on the head-to-head rule.

The pressure on Mosimane intensified after the Ethiopia match, played in front of increasingly dissatisfied supporters. On the cold Monday night that followed, at the Royal Marang Sports Complex in Phokeng, just outside Rustenburg in the North West, the signs were clear that his tenure was coming to an end.

Then-Safa chief executive Robin Petersen arrived at the team base in a Mercedes-Benz, accompanied by Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, the football organisation’s vice-president. Their presence suggested that they had come to inform Mosimane that his time in charge was over.

Journalists were not permitted to remain at the complex without an official media engagement. Outside the gates, the writer and now-retired colleague Billy Cooper waited after being removed by security.

Four hours later, shortly after midnight, the two Safa officials called the media in for a briefing. Mosimane, however, was absent. Rather than remain in Rustenburg and face the media storm the following morning, he had driven back to his home in Johannesburg.

The disappointment of that night has since been transformed into one of the most successful coaching careers in South African football. Mosimane has become arguably the country’s most decorated coach, building a trophy cabinet and reputation that are vastly different from those he possessed in 2012.

His achievements have also increased the demand for his services and, with his earnings having risen significantly, he was able to take a two-year sabbatical from the game.

Yet Mosimane’s return will not be greeted with universal approval. Some Bafana Bafana supporters remain unconvinced, choosing to focus on the failure that led to his first dismissal rather than the success that followed. Even a coach with Mosimane’s record will therefore need to win over sections of the fanbase.

The task is made more difficult by the progress South Africa have made in his absence. Bafana Bafana matches are now regularly sold out, while the team has improved in the world rankings after reaching the knockout stage of a historic World Cup for the first time.

South Africa also won bronze at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, securing the country’s first medal in the competition since 2000. Mosimane will be expected to surpass that achievement.

Simply qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations is no longer viewed as a major accomplishment. Supporters have moved beyond the era when they had to decide which national team to support during an international tournament because they could not be certain Bafana Bafana would be there.

Mosimane’s immediate priority will be helping South Africa qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Qualifying for the 2030 World Cup is also expected to follow relatively soon.

For a coach who thrives on difficult assignments, the opportunity is clear. Mosimane now has the chance to prove that Safa made the wrong decision by dismissing him after a single qualifier in the early hours of June 2012.

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