Pitso Mosimane Can Surpass Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana Achievements, says Thabo Nthethe

Former Mamelodi Sundowns captain Thabo Nthethe believes Pitso Mosimane is capable of taking Bafana Bafana to greater heights following his appointment. 

Nthethe highlighted that Mosimane’s standout trait as a coach is his ability to get the best out of players.

Pitso Brings Experience

A decade ago, Pitso Mosimane led Mamelodi Sundowns to their very first CAF Champions League trophy. 

Nthethe, the former Mamelodi Sundowns defender, was there to lift the trophy, having become a key player in Mosimane’s history-making team of 2016.

A decade later, Mosimane has been confirmed as the new Bafana Bafana coach, succeeding Hugo Broos, who did a great job in his four-year tenure, taking Bafana to the round of 32 in the recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Having worked with Mosimane for many years, Nthethe believes Mosimane is a great coach to lead Bafana into the future, emphasising that the two-time CAF Champions League-winning coach, with Sundowns and Al Ahly, is capable.

This will be Mosimane’s second stint in charge of Bafana Bafana, having previously managed the national team between 2010 and 2012, overseeing 17 games. 

His first spell ended in disappointment after South Africa missed out on the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, with Mosimane mistakenly believing a draw against Sierra Leone would be enough in the final qualifier. 

However, 14 years on, Mosimane is a far more experienced and accomplished manager, having since won the CAF Champions League with both Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly, and will return to the role as a much more rounded coach.

“I think it's a good call for him with the achievements that he has achieved. For us South Africans to appoint someone like him to take us further, I think he's capable,” Nthethe told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.

“He's got more experience now, and with the national team, I think he's still going to do well. We all know that coach Pitso is good when he spends more time with his players." 

“At Bafana, you get more rest or time for yourself to analyse and assess other players that might come to the national team. For me, he's a great coach to lead Bafana.”

Pitso’s Standout Trait

Over the last few years, Mosimane has used the same technical team wherever he coached, be it in Egypt, the UAE or Saudi Arabia.

Maahier Davids has been his assistant, Kyle Solomon and Musi Matlaba have been his performance/opposition analysts, while Kabelo Rangoaga has been his go-to Strength & Conditioning coach.

However, it is yet to be confirmed whether Mosimane will be able to take his team with him to the Bafana job. 

Nthethe believes it will not be a big problem for Mosimane whether he gets the same technical team or not.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns skipper further highlighted Mosimane’s standout trait as head coach being his ability to bring the best out of his players.

“(His best trait is) him bringing the best out of the players,” said Nthethe. 

“He might go with the technical team that he used to with Al Ahly and the other teams he’s coached over the last couple of years.”

“I don't know if in the national team he is going to get new people or what, but when you are comfortable with the people around you, you do your best." 

“I don't think really that's a big problem for him to excel or to do well in the national setup. He will bring more to the national team and to his players.”

Plead For Patience

In the past, South Africa’s football fans have shown impatience, with the resistance towards coach Hugo Broos early into his career being a prime example of the lack of patience from the country’s fans.

With Mosimane taking over, Nthethe has asked the football lovers in South Africa to support him in his new journey and to allow him the time and grace to build a team that will take South Africa forward.

Nthethe believes Mosimane will take the team to higher heights with the foundations that former coach Broos has laid.

“I think also if the nation gives him time to work with the team, I think all will be well. I think there he will definitely do well, because if you remember at Sundowns, in his first season, he never won it (the league). And the second season, that's when he won it,” said Nthethe.

“Coach Hugo Broos has done very well during the time he was with Bafana. So I would want to see coach Pitso performing much better than that. He's capable of achieving what coach Hugo has achieved.”