The South African Football Association (Safa) is expected to confirm Pitso Mosimane as the new Bafana Bafana coach this week after the two sides reached an agreement following almost three weeks of negotiations.
The appointment is understood to have been settled on Friday night, bringing an end to a prolonged process marked by a number of unresolved issues and repeated stumbling blocks.
One of the remaining decisions concerns Vincent Tseka, whose contract as team manager expired in July. Safa is considering retaining him in the role, with the National Executive Committee (NEC) believing that replacing him so close to Bafana Bafana’s next camp could carry unnecessary risk.
South Africa are due to play two important Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea in September. The make-up of the coaching and support staff is therefore regarded as particularly important as preparations for those matches begin.
Tseka’s knowledge of the national team is seen as a significant advantage. He understands the squad’s internal dynamics and the culture developed during Hugo Broos’ time as coach, while he has also been working closely with people at the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
Mosimane is also expected to name his preliminary squad for the Guinea and Eritrea fixtures when his appointment is announced.
During the negotiations, the former Bafana Bafana coach had been carrying out scouting work with his trusted assistants Kabelo Rangoaga and Musi Matlaba. Their involvement means Mosimane has already been assessing players ahead of the September qualifiers.
As part of the agreement, Mosimane is understood to have accepted an annual package of R10m. That figure is below the R16.8m salary paid to Broos, equivalent to R1.4m a month, a deal that drew criticism from Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie.
It remains unclear how Safa and Mosimane resolved several issues that had delayed the agreement. Those matters included Mosimane’s continued association with the Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools, his podcast ‘Changing the Game with Pitso’ and the management of his image rights.
Safa had reportedly been reluctant to allow Mosimane to remain involved with his youth football project while also continuing to host the podcast. The association’s position on how his image rights should be handled was another point of disagreement.
The negotiations consequently took longer than initially expected, with both parties struggling to find common ground on the conditions of Mosimane’s return.
The final appointment is expected to be announced during the week, with the decision on Tseka likely to form part of the wider discussions about the backroom structure. Retaining him would provide continuity at a time when Bafana Bafana face a demanding period of preparation before their two Afcon qualifiers.
