CAPE TOWN - The South African Football Association’s decision to fire Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki yesterday after he failed to guide the national team to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers means they’ll have an eighth coach in the last 11 years. Mihlali Baleka looks at five candidates for the job.
PITSO MOSIMANE
Easily the top choice. Mosimane has earned his stripes at club level. He won 11 titles during his seven-andhalf year stint at Mamelodi Sundowns. Currently, he is coaching the most supreme club in African football, Al Ahly, where he bagged three titles in his first season.
His relationship with Safa is still rocky, though, after he was sacked for failing to guide Bafana to the 2012 Afcon. But anything is possible in football when personnel are given enough time and respect. And that's why Safa should be willing to show they are serious about hiring "Jingles".
GAVIN HUNT
It’s not a secret that Hunt has been keen on the Bafana post for some time.
But after they opted for Ntseki the last time out, he made a sombre admission that his shot at coaching the national team might never come. Hunt is currently Kaizer Chiefs’ head coach after taking over the reins this season. But his first term at Chiefs hasn’t gone according to plan and that’s why there would be no better place for Hunt to revive himself than at Bafana.
BENNI MCCARTHY
Just like Hunt, McCarthy was one of the potential candidates to replace Stuart Baxter before Ntseki eventually landed the job. McCarthy, at the time, was in his third season as a professional coach, barking instructions at Cape Town City.
Since then, though, McCarthy has been fired and hired. Currently he’s at AmaZulu where he’s grown in leaps and bounds as a coach. Since the appointment of the Bafana all-time top goal scorer, Usuthu have been one of the forces to be reckoned with in the local game.
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MANQOBA MNGQITHI
Arguably one of the most underrated tacticians in top-flight. When Mosimane
left his coaching gig at Mamelodi Sundowns, Mngqithi was earmarked as the only replacement to succeed him. But the club appointed Rhulani Mokwena as a co-coach instead.
However, it was a bit strange when they also roped in Steve Komphela as a senior coach. But, nonetheless, Mngqithi is still seen as the “head coach”. He doesn’t take nonsense, won silverware as Golden Arrows' coach and was beside Mosimane during Sundowns’ illustrious run.
ERIC TINKLER
Tinkler has been without a job since being sacked by Maritzburg United at the end of last year. But with the Team of Choice he showed his prowess as a coach – saving the team from relegation and inspiring them to a top eight finish a season thereafter.
His credentials as a tactician also speak for themselves as he owns a Uefa Pro Coaching License, while he led Orlando Pirates to the CAF Confederation Cup final in 2015. Even Mosimane was disappointed that he didn’t land the coaching post at Tanzanian giants Simba SC recently.