Pitso Mosimane says no Bafana Bafana staff were sacked after backroom overhaul

Pitso Mosimane has rejected suggestions that he dismissed members of Hugo Broos’ former technical team after taking charge of Bafana Bafana.

Mosimane said the entire backroom staff had departed before he returned as head coach, leaving him to build a new group ahead of South Africa’s 2027 AFCON qualifying opener against Guinea at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The coach has brought in assistant Morena Ramoreboli, head of performance Musi Matlaba, strength and fitness coach Kabelo Rangoaga and goalkeeper coach Marcus Mashilo.

His appointment has marked a fresh start for Bafana Bafana, with Mosimane keen to improve on the performances of the previous generation and deliver success, including silverware. He is also expected to introduce his preferred attacking style of football.

Mosimane has retained most of the players who travelled to the World Cup under Broos and said the majority would feature against Guinea. However, the team’s approach could change as the new coaching staff establishes its methods.

There had been suggestions that Mosimane did not want to work with members of the previous regime, including former assistant Helman Mkhalele, who had been backed by Broos as a possible successor.

Mosimane insisted that he had not removed anyone from the set-up.

“I am expected not to come with excuses here,” Mosimane said.

“But you’ve got to understand that I didn’t take anybody out. No one was left when I arrived. Everybody left from the trainer to an analyst, who was from Sundowns. They left and I had no one.

“I had to put this thing together, and bring Kabelo and Musi, and say: ‘We have been on this journey for a long time. Let’s see what we can do.’ We then brought in Marcus, and whoever. We didn’t sack anybody. We found no one.”

The match against Guinea will be Mosimane’s first in his latest spell in charge of Bafana Bafana, with three points available in the opening group fixture.

He said South Africa must start the campaign strongly, particularly with home advantage, while acknowledging that the side’s playing philosophy would take time to settle.

“We are trying our best to do what we can do,” Mosimane said.

“As you are telling me about the philosophy, which one out of the last four games? Maybe adopt the last one. It’s life. All these things don’t work, but trying to get the three points and win.”