SAFA believes Bafana Bafana caretaker coach Molefi Ntseki is the right man to take the national team to Afcon 2021 and Qatar 2020.
Such is their faith in the former Bafana assistant boss that they have promoted him to permanent head coach in a shock Saturday announcement.
The 50-year-old started his new job on Sunday as his squad to face Zambia in a friendly this Saturday assembled in training camp.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/SAFA_net?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAFA_net @Banyana_Banyana @BafanaBafana @COSAFAMEDIA #RSA
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana)
Ntseki says: “I want to first of all thank the Safa NEC and the technical committee for the confidence they have showed in me.
“I am humbled by this honour and I want to assure the nation that I will give this the best go.”
Of being the righthand man to former Bafana bosses Shakes Mashaba, Owen da Gama and Stuart Baxter, Ntseki adds: “All these tenures have prepared me enough to stand on my own.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/BafanaBafana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BafanaBafanacoach . Good choice . pic.twitter.com/kyvMkAaaR4
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix 100days (@MbalulaFikile)
“We went as far as the quarterfinals in Egypt and I was very much part of the decision making processes and with any coach I have worked with."
The former Bloem Celtic mentor has been in the Bafana set-up since 2014 and acting Safa CEO Russell Paul says Ntseki’s familiarity with the system is what convinced them to give him the reins.
Paul tells Timeslive:“We’ve said that part of the criteria was somebody who understands South African football and the path that we want to go.
“He understands the [national team and Safa] philosophy. And he’s a student.”