Mosimane expands Bafana Bafana captaincy group with Chaine inclusion

Pitso Mosimane has named Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine as part of a wider Bafana Bafana leadership group, while retaining Ronwen Williams as his senior captain.

Orlando Pirates players Lebone Seema and Chaine are included in Mosimane’s first squad since returning for a second spell as South Africa head coach. The 30-man group has been selected for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea, followed by a friendly against Egypt.

Bafana Bafana will play Guinea at Orlando Stadium on September 26 before facing Eritrea four days later.

Williams remains Mosimane’s first-choice captain, but the coach said he would not depend on one permanent leader. Veteran midfielder Themba Zwane is also among the players identified as captains, despite Mosimane’s intention to give younger members of the squad more responsibility.

“I believe in leadership in many ways. So we won’t have one captain,” Mosimane said.

“We have a few captains, and I will choose sometimes a captain of the day because if (French striker Kylian) Mbappe is a captain, I think we can have also a young captain. Captain doesn’t have to be a player because he’s 38, 35, okay.”

Mosimane said age and experience should not automatically determine who leads the national team.

Chaine’s inclusion in the leadership group gives the 29-year-old an opportunity to assume greater responsibility at international level. He has established himself as one of the leading goalkeepers in the Betway Premiership and will compete with Williams and Ricardo Goss for a place in the Bafana Bafana team.

The coach stressed that Williams had not lost his position as captain, while confirming that Zwane would continue to have a leadership role.

“Themba Zwane is one of my captains, by the way… And for your information Chaine is going to be one of the captains, same as Ronwen he will still remain my captain. Let’s go for it, let’s open this thing.”

Mosimane’s approach is designed to create a broader leadership structure within Bafana Bafana, rather than placing the full responsibility on Williams.

The arrangement will allow the coach to assess different leaders during the international break while keeping Williams as the senior figure in the squad.