Ramovic: Developing six Bafana Bafana players as rewarding as winning a cup

Former TS Galaxy manager Sead Ramovic says seeing six players he helped develop reach the South Africa senior team has made his work at the club as meaningful as winning a trophy.

Ramovic spent three years with TS Galaxy between 2021 and 2024, helping nurture the careers of Bathusi Aubaas, Puso Dithejane, Samukele Kabini, Khulumani Ndamane, Kamogelo Sebelebele and Lebone Seema, among others.

All six are currently part of Pitso Mosimane’s South Africa squad. Bafana Bafana secured back-to-back wins in their 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea, before facing Egypt in an international friendly on Sunday.

Aubaas and Ndamane have since moved to Mamelodi Sundowns. Sebelebele and Seema joined Orlando Pirates, while Dithejane moved to Chicago FC in MLS and Kabini signed for Molde FK in Norway.

Ramovic said the players’ progress had brought him immense satisfaction, particularly because some had been recruited from academies where their ability had not been fully recognised.

“To see Aubaas, Puso, Kabini, Ndamane, Mike [Sebelebele] and Lebone in the Bafana squad gives me so much happiness,” Ramovic told IDiski Times.

“They are fantastic guys, and I am very happy for them. We brought players from our own academy and from other academies like Kaizer Chiefs, where their potential had not been recognised. We recognised it.”

The German-born coach was speaking to IDiski Times senior journalist Lorenz Kohler in edition 275 of the newspaper, in a feature examining Kabini’s rise into the national team.

Ramovic believes the number of players to have progressed from TS Galaxy to the highest level sets the club’s work apart, despite feeling that his contribution to the Premier Soccer League has not always received sufficient recognition.

“What we achieved at TS Galaxy was something very special, and I am very proud of it. Maybe my work in the PSL has been overlooked,” he said.

“I know other coaches can develop young players too, but to develop so many young players at the same time and see so many of them reach the highest level is something very special.”

The former TS Galaxy manager added that producing international players should be valued alongside success in cup competitions.

“For a coach, developing players who reach the national team should count as much as winning a cup.”