Bafana backfire: Ntseki set to return as new coach’s assistant
BROOS’ PICK: Molefi Ntseki
Molefi Ntseki might be back in the Bafana Bafana dugout as one of new coach Hugo Broos’ assistants.
In another crazy twist in Safa’s handling of the men’s national soccer team, Broos spilled the beans that his fired successor will now be one of his helping hands.
Broos told the SABC on Friday night that he had had meetings with Ntseki last week and was looking forward to working with the man he hailed as “an encyclopedia”.
It now looks like a possibility that Ntseki, along with Broos’ Macedonian assistant Cedomir Janveski, will take the reins in Bafana’s unconfirmed friendlies next month while the head coach travels back to Belgium for his second Covid-19 vaccine.
But in another own goal by Safa, they contradicted the new coach.
In a tweet later on Friday, Safa said: “Contrary to widespread news, Safa would like to clarify to all football fans that the association has NOT appointed any local assistant coach for Bafana Bafana. The name making headlines is NOT the association’s position.
“The Safa NEC will appoint a local assistant coach soon.”
According to reports, though, Safa has been beaten to the punch by Broos. TimesLive claims that Ntseki’s manager Thato Matuka confirmed that the coach, who was fired in March, has been offered the job.
He is quoted as saying: “It [Ntseki's return to Bafana] has been proposed to us and we are still meeting each other.”
Reports also claim that South Africa U23 coach David Notoane will be part of the coaching team, as Broos plans for the upcoming World Cup 2022 qualifiers, which kick off in September. SA will face Zimbabwe, Ghana and Ethiopia in Group G.