SAFA must stop dragging its feet over Pitso Mosimane

Bafana Bafana’s wait for a new head coach is becoming increasingly difficult to justify, with the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers now just a month away.

Why the delay over Mosimane after NEC vote?

Another week has come and gone without SAFA officially announcing Pitso Mosimane as Hugo Broos’ successor, despite the association’s NEC voting unanimously nearly two weeks ago to reappoint the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach.

With so much at stake, SAFA simply can’t afford to keep dragging its feet. The reality is that Bafana need a coach in place as soon as possible to begin planning for the qualifiers and prepare for what promises to be a demanding period.

SAFA knew that Broos would leave his position after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, yet the association appears no closer to providing clarity on why Mosimane’s appointment has not been finalised.

It’s a situation that raises an obvious question, where does this leave Mosimane? By now, the coach should be putting plans in place for the upcoming qualifiers, assessing his options and beginning to formulate his squad.

Yes, Mosimane inherits a team with a strong foundation laid by Broos, but international football does not allow coaches much time to settle in. There are injuries to consider, clubs to consult and players to assess before making important decisions.

Unlike club football, a national team coach does not work with his players every day. He has only a limited window during international break to prepare his team, making every minute of preparation valuable.

There should be a clear direction

That is why the continued uncertainty surrounding Mosimane’s appointment is so concerning. South Africans should not still be asking, where to from here?

There should be a clear direction and communication from SAFA on why the appointment has not been finalised. Instead, the delay has opened the door to speculation, with Gus Poyet now reportedly being considered for the position.

That is precisely the kind of uncertainty SAFA should be avoiding with the AFCON qualifiers fast approaching. Bafana have been drawn alongside hosts Kenya, Guinea and Eritrea, and they will need proper preparation if they are to navigate the qualifying campaign successfully.

SAFA has had enough time

Should the team struggle because of a lack of preparation, the blame can’t simply be placed on Mosimane or whoever eventually takes over from Broos. It should be directed squarely at the administrators who have allowed this situation to drag on. SAFA has had enough time to get its house in order. Bafana now need certainty, stability and, most importantly, a coach who can get to work.

The clock is ticking, and South Africa can’t afford to waste any more time and they don’t have the luxury of dilly-dallying. Every day that passes without clarity only makes an already unnecessary situation more frustrating. The hold-up in making an announcement is becoming ridiculous. Whichever way you choose to look at it, this is poor on so many levels.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that SAFA could take notes from the German Football Association, which wasted little time in announcing Jürgen Klopp as their new manager following a disastrous World Cup campaign.