SAFA closing in on finalizing new Bafana coach - Maluleke

SABC Sport understands that at the beginning of this week, SAFA had already engaged four coaches, and all were believed to have been local coaches. 

Maluleke, who has led the appointment of at least the last three Bafana Bafana coaches, says the process is nearing the appointment phase...

"The decision will be communicated but we are nearly there. The committee must sit down and make a final recommendation, and after that it's out of our hands and then we will rely on the NEC before the CEO gives the contract to the coach."

READ: Chippa to start season on the road as stadium issues force seven away fixtures

Despite the denials, Broos is also believed to have been engaged about the possibility of continuing in the role until the end of AFCON next year. However, that plan might not succeed, with some members of his technical team, indicating their unavailability for the next project.

Maluleke has been focused on finding a successor to Broos and says the criteria is simple, especially looking at the achievements of the Belgian-born head coach in the last five years at the helm.

"We are not influenced because we are dealing with sets of criteria that have been set by Broos. He promised us by saying that he will qualify the team for AFCON and the World Cup and that if he doesn't we must terminate the contract, and that's the kind of confidence we want. The qualifiers start on the 21st of September so we have to make sure they have ample time to prepare."

The first two 2027 AFCON qualifiers for Bafana Bafana will be against Guinea-Conakry and Eritrea, and what encourages Maluleke is that the prospective coaches also acknowledge the base of the team is there to work with....

"Most of the coaches that made their presentations said that we have a good base in the team, and they are not afraid to take the job on. So I'm super positive that we will get it right."

This season has also seen more South African coaches being taken up by some of the big teams around the continent, with coach Rulani Mokwena joining former African champions and Egyptian giants Pyramids FC, and former Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has signed up with Tanzanian champions Young Africans.

Maluleke says the country is not short of top coaches to take over...

"You cannot outsource something that we have. We have got the best coaches so why are we outsourcing this role. We need to support them and not set them up for failure. It's very important to give everyone a chance."

In the past, and during the era of former Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba, continuity was practiced in the national teams, with the U23, U20 and U17 national team coaches working in tandem with him. Maluleke says this is the kind of continuity they want to return to.

Maluleke also makes a valid point and provides some background on why the preference is to go with local coaches when assigning them to the junior national teams. 

He says this works in bringing out the best from the youngsters, because they would be coached by people who fully understand their game.