SAFA says Arthur Zwane is closing in on Bafana Bafana technical team role

SAFA says talks over bringing AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane into the Bafana Bafana setup are progressing, with the association backing new head coach Pitso Mosimane’s plans for his technical team.

SAFA deputy president Linda Zwane stopped short of confirming an appointment but said the organisation would support Mosimane’s choice of staff.

“We’re making progress with regards to that (getting Zwane), we support Coach Pitso. Whoever he says he wants as a part of the technical team, we’ll do that for him.”

Zwane, known as ‘10111’ during his playing career, is understood to be among the coaches Mosimane wants to work with during his latest spell in charge of Bafana Bafana.

The former Kaizer Chiefs coach has previous experience with the national side, having served on the Bafana Bafana technical team under Molefi Ntseki in 2019.

His coaching career also included important work within Kaizer Chiefs’ development structures before he moved into a head-coach position. He later took charge of AmaZulu.

That background, Linda Zwane said, made him a strong candidate for a place in the national setup.

“Of course I can’t say much about it (Zwane’s inclusion) but he is also here because of his work at Kaizer Chiefs juniors, he was also a part of the national team under coach Molefi Ntseki and now he’s doing great work at AmaZulu and if coach Pitso wants him, we’ll do that.”

If appointed, Zwane would give Mosimane another coach with knowledge of South African football and experience of working with players at different stages of their development.

SAFA’s wider priority, however, is to give Mosimane the backing and freedom required to build a technical team capable of meeting his objectives.

“We know he needs our help in order to succeed but also we don’t want to be the reason if he doesn’t succeed.”

Ramoreboli appointment completed

SAFA has already finalised the appointment of Morena Ramoreboli, who was confirmed last week as a member of Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana technical team.

Linda Zwane said Mosimane had specifically requested Ramoreboli’s inclusion, prompting SAFA to negotiate with the Botswana Football Association over his release.

“Coach Pitso also expressed that he is someone that he would want to work with and asked us to engage the Botswana federation and luckily we have a good relationship with them so it was possible.”

Ramoreboli has previously worked within the Bafana Bafana setup and was part of the technical team that won the COSAFA Cup during the Covid-19 period.

SAFA had also considered him for the national U-23 team ahead of the Olympics.

“But people must remember that we had also discussed bringing him in to take charge of the U-23s ahead of the Olympics so he’s someone we take very seriously because of his work.”

With Ramoreboli already confirmed, attention is now focused on whether Zwane will become the next addition to Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana technical team.