South Africa’s search for a coach to take Bafana Bafana to greater heights ended Wednesday with the appointment of Belgian Hugo Broos as the national team’s new football tactician.
South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan announced the appointment of Broos, 69, who takes over from Molefi Ntseki who was dismissed over a month ago after failing to inspire Bafana Bafana to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroon.
Broos coached Cameroon from 2016-17, winning the CAN Championship in 2017 – an achievement, no doubt, which might have added credit to his points in the highly competitive job contest of 200 applicants.
The Belgian’s appointment followed weeks of postponement by SAFA, who’ve been searching to secure the services of a new coach to guide the team ahead of the forthcoming qualifications for the next FIFA World Cup.
“We will do everything in our power to make sure the team qualifies for the World Cup,” Broos told journalists via video conferencing.
The new coach will be faced with the immediate task of getting the team ready in time for the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers set to kick off in June.
The Bafana Bafana won the 1996 African Cup of Nations in their first year of participation which they hosted in Johannesburg as well — with their number one national fan, Nelson Mandela, among the thousands of spectators cheering them on.
Broos is expected to touch down in the country next week, Jordaan said.
NM/jn/APA