When Mosimane last coached Bafana Bafana, his reign ended in dramatic fashion, dismissed at midnight following a home draw with Ethiopia in 2014 World Cup qualifying, having taken over from Carlos Alberto Parreira after the 2010 tournament on home soil.
It was a spell that showed promise but ultimately fell short, and Mosimane departed the national set-up without silverware to his name.
What followed transformed his reputation entirely. His eight year spell at Mamelodi Sundowns turned the club into South African football’s dominant force, five PSL titles, two Nedbank Cups, two League Cups, and in 2016, the club’s first ever CAF Champions League title.
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His move to Egyptian giants Al Ahly pushed his profile further still. Back to back CAF Champions League titles in 2019-20 and 2020-21, an Egyptian league and cup double, two CAF Super Cups, and consecutive third place finishes at the FIFA Club World Cup, a feat no other African club has achieved.
He later guided Saudi side Al-Ahli to promotion in his very first season in charge, before further coaching spells in Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Where the Mosimane of 2010 was a promising but unproven international coach, the version applying to replace Hugo Broos now arrives with continental titles, a reputation as one of Africa’s most successful managers, and experience across multiple footballing cultures.
Whether that experience earns him a second chance with Bafana Bafana remains in SAFA’s hands.
Photo: REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari
