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Mngqithi on Broos's appointment as Bafana coach: 'I think we have had too many foreign coaches'

Mahlatse Mphahlele Sports reporter
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi says local coaches are also capable and should not be taken for granted.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi says local coaches are also capable and should not be taken for granted.
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Belgian Hugo Broos's appointment as the new Bafana Bafana boss on Wednesday has split opinion and Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi weighed in on the debate when he argued that the national team has had too many foreign coaches over the years.

The South African Football Association (Safa) have employed nine foreign coaches with modest or no success since readmission in 1992 and Mngqithi accused the mother body of taking local coaches for granted.

The increasingly vocal Sundowns mentor said Safa does not know what local coaches are capable of.

“The truth of the matter for me is I just believe that sometimes we don’t know what South African coaches are capable of‚” he said.

“We take [them] for granted and we only realise late [that they are also capable].

"When we give them opportunities‚ probably we don’t support them as much as we support the foreigners.

"These are my views and opinions on the matter‚ and many people may not see it the way I see it.

"But I think we have had too many foreign coaches who have not really [had] big success [with] the national team.”

Mngqithi said it is important for Broos to engage local coaches closely as they will help him understand the players‚ their mindset and the South African culture.

“This is something that I don’t want to get my hands on but the truth of the matter is that the development of our coaches is also very important‚" he said‚ emphasising the importance of local coaches also sponging off Broos.

"Even if you bring in foreign expertise‚ it is always wise to have some local coaches within the space so that they benefit something and learn a little bit.

“If somebody brings some scarce skills that South Africa does not have‚ we must support him and see what he offers and learn from him.

"I will always be somebody who supports the thinking that South Africans are capable of doing it because if you ask him (Broos)‚ who are the key players at Sundowns‚ Chiefs‚ Pirates or SuperSport? He might not even know one [player].

“It will take him some time to adjust and understand the players we have locally and internationally‚ and also understand their profiles.

"That’s why it is always important for such people to always be surrounded by the people who know the players better‚ and those should be South African coaches.

“The culture of having a foreigner with some local full-time assistant coaches will help.

"Coach Pitso Mosimane benefited a lot from working with Carlos Alberto Parreira‚ and I believe it can help any other South African coach that will have the privilege of working with the coach that has been chosen [Broos].”

Brazilian Parreira and Briton Stuart Baxter had two stints as Bafana coaches.

Bafana Bafana Foreign coaches since 1992:

Jeff Butler (1994)

Augusto Palacios (1992-1994)

Carlos Queiroz (2000-2002)

April “Styles” Phumo (2003-2004)

Stuart Baxter (2004-2005‚ 2016-2019)

Ted Dumitru (2005-2006)

Carlos Alberto Parreira (2007-2008‚ 2009-2010)

Joel Santana (2008-2009)

Hugo Broos (2021-present)