Former Bafana Bafana midfielder and current South African National U20 team coach, Helman Mkhalele has been named as Bafana Bafana’s second assistant coach.
With Helman Mkhalele “I have young coach. A young coach who is always motivated. He knows the local football. All those qualities will help me,” says #BafanaBafana coach, Hugo Broos. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/l8HqAVEZrk
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 21, 2021
The announcement was made by SAFA President Danny Jordaan at a media conference attended by the newly-appointed Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa as well as the newly-appointed SAFA COO Lydia Monyepao at the SAFA headquarters in Nasrec, Johannesburg, on Friday afternoon.
Mkhalele will be the second assistant coach after Macedonian-born Cedomir Janevski was announced as the first assistant coach by Broos last week.
#BafanaBafana coach says after shortlisting they were left with David Notoane and Mkhalele. Notoane, he says, wasn’t chosen to ensure the continuous development of players to the senior national team from the SAU23 side. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/YLlcw4PEzC
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 21, 2021
The other name that was considered for the position is that of SA U23 coach, David Notoane who is currently preparing the team for the Tokyo Olympics coming up in August. However, after meeting both coaches earlier this week, Broos is understood to have independently made the decision to select Mkhalele as the preferred candidate.
The appointment of the Bafana assistant has been a topic of much speculation since the announcement of Hugo Broos as the new senior national team coach, with rumours that former Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki would make a surprise come back into the national team setup as the assistant coach.
The rumours seemed to have been verified last week Friday when Broos announced on SAfm that Ntseki would be back on the bench. However, immediately following that announcement, SAFA distanced themselves from that appointment, stating Ntseki would not be the assistant coach.
Speaking to the media on Friday morning, Chairperson of the SAFA Technical Committee, Jack Maluleka sought to explain the process of appointing the assistant coach of the senior national team.
“I just want to clear the issue of the assistant coach. The technical committee will only recommend to the NEC. It is then upon the coach to say these are the people I want to work with. The head coach made his recommendation. We don’t interfere in that space. There is nothing sinister,” says Maluleka.
“The coach has been given the thumps to make sure he recommends his people. I was informed that the coach will, this afternoon, announce his assistant coach. From our side, that is what we wanted to bring.”
Maluleka’s comments follow claims that the SAFA Technical Committee has been pushing the issue of Ntseki’s retention within the national team setup.
Speaking on the issue of #MolefiNtseki, “We have said our goodbyes in a nice way. As far as we understand, this issue has been closed. We wish him all the best. If it happens he comes back (so be it) because there is no bad blood between us and Molefi Ntseki.” #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/4DaFs5JwW5
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 21, 2021
