Pitso Mosimane to return as Bafana coach? ‘Jingles’ says ‘it’s possible’

Pitso Mosimane has not ruled out the possibility of returning to coach Bafana Bafana in the future.

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Mosimane was sacked by the South African Football Association (SAFA) for failing to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a 0-0 draw against Sierra Leone.

Mosimane lasted only half of his four-year contract and finished with a record that read: Played 17, won six, lost three, drew eight.

“Jingles” didn’t let his firing get him down and has enjoyed an incredible eight years since that fateful day.

His stint with Mamelodi Sundowns yielded no fewer than 11 titles, including five PSL titles and the CAF Champions League which prompted Egyptians giants Al Ahly to come looking for his signature.

Mosimane has enjoyed a stellar start to life in north Africa, winning 18 and drawing four of the 22 matches he’s coached Al Ahly in to date.

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Naturally, questions have been raised as to whether Mosimane would be open to returning for a second stint as South African national coach.

“There’s a phrase we have in South Africa: ‘Once a Bafana, always a Bafana.’ Yes, it is possible. When? I’m not sure,” he told OTW podcast.

“At this point in time, I’m busy with the biggest task of going to the FIFA Club World Cup, so I’m not thinking about that now. South Africa is always my country…I always carry my flag, I’m very patriotic.”

Mosimane mentioned there is a lot of work that needs to be done in South Africa, but highlighted the success of smaller nations in Europe to show what’s possible.

“Look with the national team, there’s a lot of football work that needs to be done by the football federation. Lots of development of players needs to be done,” Pitso Mosimane said.

“Why are small countries like Holland and Croatia with [small] populations, why can they be that big in world and club football, and Belgium. Belgium are not that big and they are ranked as world number one with a small population, so it shows it’s not about population … it shows it’s about programmes, so my country is lacking in that space.

“Everybody says that South Africa is better than Cameroon because we’ve got facilities and all that. That’s true we’ve got facilities but sometimes you don’t have access to these facilities, you have them, but they don’t belong to you.”

Pitso Mosimane’s immediate focus will be on Monday, 8 February’s Club World Cup semi-final against German giants Bayern Munich.

Kick-off at the Al Rayyan Stadium in Qatar is at 20:00 SA time.

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