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Is Desiree Ellis the new Banyana Banyana coach?

South African captain Janine Van Wyk and South African coach Desiree Ellis during the South African women's national soccer team training session at Cape Town Stadium on January 17, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.
South African captain Janine Van Wyk and South African coach Desiree Ellis during the South African women's national soccer team training session at Cape Town Stadium on January 17, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images

A new Banyana Banyana coach is expected to be announced at a press conference at Safa House on Thursday morning.

SowetanLIVE has been informed that this announcement will finally be made 18 months after Vera Pauw left the job in August 2016.

Pauw’s assistant‚ former Banyana star Desiree Ellis‚ has filled the position in a caretaker role since.

It was not clear who will be appointed the new permanent coach.

One Safa official‚ though‚ did say that the appointment “should be obvious by now”.

Safa had spent months courting overseas coaches to the position‚ however‚ Ellis is the only “obvious” candidate whose name has been linked to the job.

Under Ellis‚ Banyana won the 2017 Cosafa Cup in September‚ and the team were awarded Caf’s Women’s Team of the Year of 2017 prize in January.

Safa communications manager Dominic Chimhavi would only say: “Come and see what we are announcing.

“Don’t forget the team is leaving for Cyprus tomorrow.

“So we might just be inviting you to come and say bye bye to the team.”

Banyana leave on Thursday to compete in the Cyprus Women’s Cup‚ which starts on Monday‚ where they have been drawn in Group C with Hungary‚ Slovakia and Trinidad and Tobago.

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