Mosimane finally confirmed as new SA coach
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Pitso Mosimane was confirmed as South Africa’s new coach yesterday following a complex process carried out by the South African Football Association (SAFA).
SAFA president Kristen Nematandani finally announced Bafana Bafana’s assistant coach as the successor to Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira at a news conference, exactly two weeks after SAFA said Mosimane was the man it wanted but that he had to be approved by SAFA’s technical committee.
The 45-year-old Mosimane has signed a four-year contract. He was assistant since 2006 and Parreira’s understudy during the World Cup. He is the 16th coach in 18 years since South Africa was readmitted into international football post-apartheid in 1992.
Mosimane said he would not make any dramatic changes but added he would take “bold decisions” if he had to.
“I have arrived here not to turn things upside down,” Mosimane said, “but I will make changes if necessary, even if they are unpopular.”
He also thanked the experienced Parreira for “unconditionally” passing on his coaching knowledge.
Mosimane’s first game in charge will be a tough assignment against World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana at Johannesburg’s Soccer City — venue for the World Cup final — on August 11.
South Africa begin their qualifying campaign for the 2012 African Cup of Nations with a home game against Niger at Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium in early September.
“Our quest to become No 1 in the continent has started and the process is irreversible,” Nematandani said after South Africa moved up 17 places to 66th in the world on Wednesday.
“Our latest improvement on the FIFA world rankings is an indication of the progress made, hence our decision to continue with the technical team that understand the significance of completing the long journey that we have started.”
The country missed out on the 2010 Cup of Nations and under Parreira then became the first host to fail to qualify for the second round of the World Cup despite a 2-1 win over former world champion France in its final group game.
