Former South Africa international Junior Khanye has urged the South African Football Association (SAFA) dismiss head coach Hugo Broos and replace him with Pitso Mosimane.
This comes after one of the pre-tournament favourites, Bafana Bafana, were eliminated from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the Round of 16 after losing 2-1 to Cameroon on January 4.
Khanye, who was part of Bafana’s 2005 COSAFA Cup squad, explained why unattached Mosimane should be reappointed as Bafana coach ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in June.
“Unfortunately, we lost people like Pitso Mosimane and Rulani Mokwena in South African football,” Khanye told KickOff about Mosimane, who served as Bafana coach between 2010 and 2012.
“Bafana Bafana looked far better when Rulani was coaching [Mamelodi] Sundowns. We had nine starters from Sundowns when we reached the semi-finals of the last AFCON, hence Hugo Broos didn’t struggle that much to select his squad.
“He just picked the Sundowns back five as it was, including the goalkeeper. Sundowns are the team that is used to this continental football, hence they reached the Champions League semi-finals last season,” the former Kaizer Chiefs star continued.
“I don’t understand why Hugo Broos started with seven defenders. All of a sudden, there was Samukelo Kabini in the starting line-up from nowhere, a player who didn’t play in the group stages. He looked shaky. Bathusi Aubaas also didn’t play in the group stages.
“Yes, the team he started with was not so convincing against Angola, Zimbabwe, but they would have gotten the momentum as the tournament progressed. You can sub them as the game goes on. You know what, this Hugo Broos guy is the luckiest coach. In the last AFCON, we drew four times; there’s no continuity if you win ugly or by luck,” he added.
“In the national team there is no time to prepare, so how do you experiment in such a tournament. Leaving out experienced players was Broos’s downfall. You need Bradley Grobler, Iqraam Rayners, Thembinkosi Lorch, and Grant Kekana to win such tournaments.
“Broos had a bad plan; he seemed confused in his squad selection. I would love to see Pitso Mosimane, assisted by Rulani Mokwena, taking us to the World Cup.”
Broos is set to retire from coaching at the end of the 2026 World Cup at the age of 74 and SAFA is looking for a replacement for the Belgian tactician.
