South Africa appoint AFCON winner as new head coach

The South African Football Association (SAFA) on Wednesday 5 May announced the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winning coach Hugo Broos as their new head coach. 

Broos takes over the reins from Molefi Ntseki who had an underwhelming spell at the helm of South Africa as they failed to seal a ticket to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

SAFA made a huge u-turn on fan favourite Benni McCarthy despite numerous reports linking him to the top job but huge demands are rumoured to have locked him out of the job. 

Reports claim that McCarthy spelt out conditions he viewed as non-negotiable, including the appointment of AmaZulu colleagues Siyabonga Nomvethe and Moeneeb Josephs as his assistant coaches on a full-time basis.

Former Iran coach Carlos Queiroz was also linked with the job and is initially thought to have agreed to return to the Bafana seat he occupied between 2000 and 2002.

Broos is the immediate former Belgian Pro League side KV Oostende caretaker boss and has vast experience in the game after representing Belgium in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The 69-year-old is the 19th Bafana Bafana coach and will be tasked with guiding the side to the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that kick off in June.

South Africa is placed in the same group as Ethiopia, Ghana and Zimbabwe with reports of former Bafana Bafana head coach Ntseki taking over as the assistant.