Pitso Mosimane linked to another West African national team coaching job but is it enough to tempt him away from his beloved youth development programs?
The 61-year-old is once again being heavily linked with a return to international management after he emerged as a top candidate for The Eagles. But having just acquired the status of Gauteng Development League team East Rand Athletic FC as part of his football academy project it appears ‘Jingles’ is more focused on producing future Bafana Bafana stars than coaching current internationals.
The race for the Mali dugout
Pitso Mosimane has emerged as a leading contender for the Mali national team job following the departure of Tom Saintfiet.
According to a report in KickOff, the Malian football authorities have high ambitions and have placed the South African icon on a shortlist that includes North African heavyweights and European expertise.
He is reportedly competing with Frenchman Hervé Renard and former Morocco mentor Walid Regragui as the Eagles search for a permanent successor.
The 61-year-old has been without a club since his stint with Iranian side Esteghlal FC ended in January 2025.
While he has been linked to various roles in the Gulf and across Africa, including a brief flirtation with the Ghana job before Carlos Queiroz was appointed, the Mali project represents a significant opportunity to lead a talent-rich squad on the road to the Africa Cup of Nations and the next FIFA World Cup.
Building a legacy at grassroots level
While the international stage beckons, ‘Jingles’ has been finding immense satisfaction away from the professional spotlight.
He has shifted his focus toward the Pitso Mosimane Youth Football structure, an initiative designed to revolutionise South African player development.
His latest move saw him acquire the status of Gauteng Development League (GDL) team East Rand Athletic FC, adding a competitive edge to his existing soccer schools and football club programmes.
Addressing the importance of the project, Mosimane explained his shift in philosophy to Sunday World: “GDL is the elite football development in the country because it has recruited players from all over the country for years.
“I could have easily invested in the PSL, but we saw the need to lay a foundation, not only for players but also for coaches, too.
“Growing football in schools and communities. So, this is a nice pyramid coming up, which will one day reach the pinnacle of South African football.”
National team dreams and manuals
The mission behind Mosimane’s current work is clear: he wants to create a production line that eventually benefits the South African national team.
Managing director of Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools, Moira Tlhagale, revealed that the project aims to emulate the legendary School of Excellence.
Part of this strategy involves a heavy emphasis on instructional quality, with the team set to release a specific football manual to guide their technical staff through the developmental stages.
Regarding the long-term vision, Tlhagale stated: “For us, one of the deliverables this year is releasing a football manual, because coach Pitso always says, ‘you can’t have a math teacher and think you will produce a scientist or student when you don’t have the right type of coach’.
“So, for us, the foundation of this programme is having quality coaches.
“Also, through our GDL status, we are planning on opening an academy that our team will play under and have a complete football development ecosystem that will, at a later stage, feed or supply players for our junior and senior national teams.
“Something similar to the School of Excellence, which produced some of the best players ever seen in South African football.”
Endorsement from a legend
The move into youth football has earned Mosimane the respect of his former mentor, Jomo Sono.
The legendary ‘Black Prince’ of South African football recently faced off against Mosimane in the GDL and was quick to praise his former protege’s commitment to the next generation.
Sono believes that while the transition from high-stakes professional management to development is difficult, it is a vital contribution to the game’s future.
Offering words of encouragement, Sono said: “It is a good thing to see him ploughing back into football, because this is where we also discovered him in the township as a young boy.
“So, my advice to him if he wants to thrive in this space is to have patience and perseverance because he will encounter a lot of challenges.”
Whether the allure of a national team job in Mali can pull Mosimane away from his “safe haven” with the kids remains to be seen, but his impact on the game continues to grow regardless of where he sits on the bench.
Source: GOAL
