He’s been in the Bafana Bafana hot seat before, so Pitso Mosimane knows what he is talking about when he says that he is satisfied with the national team’s displays this week.
After the disaster of a goalless draw with Seychelles away last month, Bafana Bafana showed some fighting spirit over the last few days by coming from behind to secure 1-1 stalemates against Nigeria and Paraguay.
The first match was more important as it was a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, while the latter was for the Nelson Mandela Challenge.
But while coach Stuart Baxter was left frustrated by the missed opportunities to win both games, Mosimane was more positive about the results.
The Mamelodi Sundowns boss was invited to the Bafana dressing room after the Paraguay clash to speak to the team.
“Only pessimists will not see that as a big improvement; Nigeria were at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but Bafana Bafana matched them throughout the game while Paraguay are a football powerhouse. Baxter should build on this,” Mosimane told the Safa website on Friday.
“Libya are not Nigeria and Libya are not Paraguay.”
The former striker added that Bafana should play up to three friendlies before next March’s big showdown with Libya away, which will determine qualification for Afcon, with South Africa needing just a point to go through to Cameroon.
“If Bafana Bafana do well, we all benefit as a country. If they qualify for Cameroon 2019, the experience they will gain in that competition will rub off our clubs and our football in general,” Mosimane said.
“So, it is imperative that we all join hands to help Bafana Bafana do well.”
Former @BafanaBafana coach Pitso Mosimane visited the team after the 1-1 draw with Paraguay in Durban where he urged all clubs to help the Senior Men's National team qualify for Cameroon by giving them the support and cooperation pic.twitter.com/1CorFfVvKX
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) November 21, 2018
@ashfakmohamed