SAFA will be pissing in the faces of many South Africans if they bring back Molefi Ntseki as Bafana Bafana’s interim coach.

Ntseki was allowed to lead the national team in 2019 following the departure of Stuart Baxter. At the time, his promotion from the junior national teams was questioned by many, but SAFA backed him and handed him the biggest job in South African football.

Unfortunately, he failed spectacularly. Under Ntseki, Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, despite the tournament having been expanded to 24 teams, making qualification more accessible than in previous editions.

Ntseki managed just nine matches as Bafana coach, winning four, drawing two and losing three. His brief tenure ultimately ended in disappointment, and he was replaced after failing to deliver the expected results.

Now, with Hugo Broos gone, Pitso Mosimane appeared to be the obvious choice to take over.

The appointment of Jingles would make sense on almost every level. South Africa needs a coach with experience, a proven winning mentality and an understanding of the local football landscape. Mosimane ticks all those boxes.

He knows the players. He understands the culture. He has won major trophies on the continent and has coached at the highest level, including at the FIFA Club World Cup. More importantly, Mosimane has never been afraid to demand high standards from his players.

Mosimane not appointed as Bafana coach, SAFA eye Ntseki

The latest reports suggest that SAFA and Mosimane are struggling to reach an agreement over certain terms of his proposed contract. With Bafana scheduled to return to action in the AFCON qualifiers next month, there is now speculation that Ntseki could be brought in on an interim basis while SAFA finalises a permanent appointment.

That would be a huge mistake. Given his previous failure with Bafana, followed by his underwhelming spell at Kaizer Chiefs, Ntseki should not be anywhere near the national team setup, even temporarily.

Other experienced South African coaches could step in if SAFA needs a short-term solution. Roger de Sa, Dan Malesela and Farouk Khan are among the coaches who could be considered, while former Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele also has experience within the national team environment.

The question is why SAFA would continue going back to the same names when there are other options available? Supporters don’t want to see Ntseki anywhere near the Bafana team.

The apparent obsession with Ntseki is symbolic of a bigger problem within SAFA: the tendency to rely on familiar faces and people already within the association’s inner circles rather than appointing coaches purely on merit.

Ntseki has been around SAFA for years, whether as a Bafana coach, technical team member or committee member. Somehow, whenever there is a vacancy, his name continues to emerge.

Bafana Bafana do not need another familiar appointment simply because it is convenient. They need the best person for the job.

If SAFA genuinely wants to take South African football forward, it must stop looking backwards.

And bringing back Molefi Ntseki even as an interim coach would be a clear step in the wrong direction and bad news for Bafana.

What’s your take on Ntseki?