Newly unveiled Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has cited Brazil mentor Carlo Ancelotti when addressing the future of assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, defending his right to assemble a trusted backroom staff for his second spell in charge.
Mosimane spoke following his official unveiling as the new Bafana head coach at SAFA House on Monday, returning to the national team helm 14 years after his initial 2010–2012 tenure. The three-time CAF Champions League-winning tactician will be joined by his trusted backroom staff, including performance analyst Musi Matlaba and fitness coach Kabelo Rangoaga.
However, Mkhalele’s tenure as Bafana assistant coach has seemingly come to an end following Hugo Broos’ departure, with Mosimane confirming that a new assistant will be announced in due course.
‘Midnight Express’, as Mkhalele is affectionately known, served as Broos’ second-in-command during a historic era for the national team. He was instrumental in guiding Bafana to a third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] in Côte d’Ivoire, ending a 24-year semi-final drought.
Furthermore, Mkhalele was on the bench as Bafana made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping steer the side into the Round of 32 for the first time ever.
PITSO MOSIMANE ON HELMAN MKHALELE AND HIS TECHNICAL TEAM
When questioned about Mkhalele’s future in the Bafana technical team and his plans for the backroom staff, ‘Jingles’ defended a head coach’s right to assemble a trusted inner circle, referencing Ancelotti’s successful setup with his son, Davide.
“You know, everyone, and every coach has his own technical team, right? And I always love to refer to practical questions, and I will tell you about Ancelotti,” Mosimane told the media.
“You know who he takes. He takes his son [Davide Ancelotti as assistant coach], and they have won a lot of trophies. If I had my son next to me here instead, I think you would be saying some other things about nepotism… he’s got his son, and they have won trophies together, and they work well. And the world is not looking into Ancelotti and his son, right? It’s looking at the work to be done.”
The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach emphasised that bringing in his own tried-and-tested backroom staff is essential to delivering results, given their shared history and working methods beyond South African borders.
“So for us, it is the work done. I have people that have done the FIFA World Cup with me here, four of them, and it’s the people who understand the way I work, the way we work,” Mosimane added.
“We work differently from South Africa, even over the continent, well beyond the borders of the continent. So, I have the people that I think can support me, and yeah, I think I gave you the right answer.”
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