Sports

Pitso Mosimane – I will never coach Bafana Bafana Again

Pitso Mosimane has ruled out any chance of returning to coaching Bafana Bafana. South Africa’s most successful coach has put his foot down that he will not return to Safa House, especially after he was sacked by the association where he spent two years and lost two games in the process.

What pains Pitso the most is the way in which he was sacked in 2012. He said on Thursday that the memories of him being let go is still a bitter pill to swallow.

He claims to have begged the national executive, at the time, not to fire him and requested for more time because he claims to have known what he was doing.

His dismissal letter was issued after the failed effort to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

This was as a result of playing to a draw against Sierra Leone at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.

Bafana players at the time were seen celebrating qualification but only to find they have misread the rules that a head-to-head system is applied secondly, after the points tally, when there is a tie in a group.

“I even begged them not to fire me, but they did,” said Mosimane on Thursday, about the axing that saw him replaced by Steve Komphela in a caretaker role.

“Do I want to face that again? I had my career in the hands of those people, so I don’t know now who has replaced those people and what positions they are now.

“I have learnt a lot during my time at Safa. But the way they sacked me, it was not nice. I don’t believe a coach who spent two years with you and loses two games should be fired. It was sad to be fired.”

He poked fun of the executives at that: “I was sacked by taxi owners, it was sad to be fired by the priest, it was sad to be fired by the chief.”

Mosimane has since then moved on at Mamelodi Sundowns where he is now the “special one” on the African continent.

He has won the league four times with Sundowns, Caf Champions League in 2016 and Caf Super Cup in 2017.

During the offseason, he was invited by the Egyptian TV to analyse the Pharaohs’ group matches for the duration of the tournament.

It was an experience that Mosimane said humbled him.

On Saturday Safa’s Task Team, made up of Jack Maluleke, Sudesh Singh and Buddha Mathathe, along with the NEC, will deliberate on the way forward to shortlist the applications on who will replace Stuart Baxter, who resigned last month after Bafana were knocked out in the last-8 of the Egypt spectacle.

Legend Lucas “Rhoo” Radebe has recommended Komphela and Benni McCarthy to be given an opportunity, a suggestion that Mosimane agrees with.

Source: Daily Sun

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