"Coach Pitso has done an excellent job by keeping most of the players from the World Cup," Makalakalane said.
Augustine Makalakalane during 2017 Engen Champ of Champs at Tuks Fields in Pretoria, South Africa on 07 October 2017 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Bafana Bafana legend Augustine Makalakalane has praised Pitso Mosimane for maintaining continuity in the squad following back-to-back victories over Guinea and Eritrea in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Mosimane largely stuck with the core of the team that featured at the FIFA World Cup in June, despite injuries to regulars such as Khuliso Mudau, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Thalente Mbatha and the loss of Jayden Adams.
The decision to avoid wholesale changes has been welcomed by Makalakalane, who believes Mosimane was right to build on the work done by former coach Hugo Broos.
“It’s easy, I can’t just come into your house and start making new rules without knowing what you were doing and how you kept everything in order,” Makalakalane said on Radio 2000.
“Coach Pitso has done an excellent job by keeping most of the players from the World Cup who have experience and are competitive. They still have that euphoria of reaching the next round after progressing from the group stages.”
What Pitso needs to say to players
Makalakalane also stressed the importance of building on the back Bafana’s historic World Cup campaign, where they reached the knockout stages for the first time.
He believes the momentum from that historic run can give the team an added boost as they forge ahead under the guidance of Mosimane.
“That euphoria is reminiscent of what we went through in 1996 with Bafana Bafana after Nelson Mandela came out of prison and became president,” he added.
“There was euphoria, and it wins games. That’s what coach Pitso has to rely on at the moment. In such a short space of time since taking the job, these players are playing all over the world, and you need to be meticulous and efficient.
“You need to say, ‘Let me not reinvent the wheel first, but let me pull together players who have experience and can bring a winning mentality, players who understand each other.’ And that was a good approach from the coach.”
Makalakalane knows all about the importance of momentum and continuity, having been part of the Bafana squad that won the 1996 AFCON on home soil under the late Clive Barker.
