Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Junior Khanye has urged the South African Football Association to bring back Pitso Mosimane as Bafana Bafana head coach.
This comes after Bafana failed to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations finals following a shock 2-0 defeat to Sudan in their last qualifying match over the weekend.
Safa announced the firing of Molefi Ntseki as South Africa head coach on Wednesday after the 51-year-old tactician failed to guide the team to the most prestigious football tournament in Africa.
Khanye has backed Mosimane as the right man to lead Bafana with the Kagiso-born tactician having served as national team head coach between July 2010 and June 2012.
Mosimane is currently in charge of Al Ahly having joined the Egyptian champions last year after dominating South African football with Mamelodi Sundowns.
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"Bring back Pitso Mosimane as head coach of Bafana Bafana,” Khanye told Sowetan.
“We must bring in someone who has the philosophy that will suit our players and coach Pitso understands our football culture and our players. Ted Dumitru laid the foundation, and in the junior national teams we must bring in guys like Zipho Dlangalala, Dan Malesela, Farouk Khan, Kwanele Kopo, Sudesh Singh and Floyd Mogale.
“Those are coaches for junior national teams. Kopo is currently with the senior national team but the question is who is he with there? Are they listening to him? I don’t think they listen to him because he is the third assistant. I am sorry, my brother, this is daylight robbery."
Safa promoted Ntseki to head coach having worked under Stuart Baxter as an assistant at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
“Why is coach Molefi Ntseki the Bafana Bafana coach in the first place? Where did he prove himself? Not even in the National First Division (NFD) or Diski Challenge. I am sorry but we cannot bring such coaches to the senior national team," Khanye added.
“It is very disappointing that we have failed to qualify for Afcon (when) we are similar to Brazil with players who are very skilful.
"We need to do proper development with all the 16 teams (in the top-fight) doing things properly. If [Kaizer] Chiefs, [Mamelodi] Sundowns and [Orlando] Pirates, who are the face of SA football, can do things properly, everything will be fine."
Khanye, who is a former South Africa under-20 international, also questioned Ntseki's decision to call up players such as Ben Motshwari, 30, Ruzaigh Gamildien, 31, and Thabang Monare, 31, during the recent Fifa international break.
“But because they are not doing things properly, that’s why thing are like this. Why do we call players who are 23 or 24? Youngsters?" the retired winger said.
"In Brazil, you must be ready for the World Cup at the age of 17 years. Why do we bring players who were never in junior national teams like Ben Motshwari, Ruzaigh Gamildien, Thabang Monare?
"They were never in the junior national teams, so why bring them now? You bring in Gamildien when we need to qualify and we are beaten by Sudan."
Safa need to find a replacement for Ntseki with Bafana set to start their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign in May 2021.