Proud mentor Sono urges Mosimane to build on Broos’ foundation

In an interview on Radio 2000’s Game On sports show with Thabiso Mosia, Sono says that, based on the good work done by Mosimane’s successor, continuity will be key.  

The Jomo Cosmos owner and head coach says the Belgian-born coach has laid a very good foundation for Mosimane...

"Broos built a good foundation for Pitso, who only has a short space of time to prepare the team for the upcoming matches so he must not bring in new players and say we are building a new Bafana Bafana. All the players know each other and they understand the general style of play so Pitso must not make too many changes to the team that went to the World Cup."

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Mosimane is expected to announce his preliminary squad today, ahead of the two qualifiers against Guinea Conakry and Eritrea, as well as the confirmed international friendly against Egypt. 

Sono says Mosimane should just continue with the team that Broos left behind after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mosimane had already said that he’s just expecting to replace the injured players and make a few changes to the World Cup squad. 

Sono also knows Mosimane very well, having scouted him from high school in the mid-1980s, assisted by the late Stanley “Screamer” Tshabalala, to join his club Jomo Cosmos at the age of 17. He’s very proud that the 62-year-old has finally been roped in for his second stint as the Bafana Bafana head coach...

"It was the right decision to bring Pitso back and I think he learned from the past, and I believe he will do well for the country. He won't make too many major changes to Hugo Broos' team because Broos did well. He has left coach Pitso with a good foundation."

Having taken the team to AFCON 1998 in Burkina Faso, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, Sono has defended Mosimane for standing his ground on the initial R5 million salary package that he was alleged to have been offered by the SAFA administrators. This was before the SAFA National Executive Committee (NEC) decided to approve him for a return to Bafana, on a R10 million annual salary package, which still fell short of the R16,8 million annual deal Broos was said to be on.

"I knew that Pitso would never take R5 million when he knew what Broos got in return. Even I wouldn't have taken it, he was right to stand his ground and I also would've said no I want the same as the white man."