We look at the 11 coaches who have been in the dugout the most times for Bafana and what their record are.
11. Jomo Sono
Tenure(s): Jan 98-Feb 98, March 02-July 02, May 03
Record: P18 W7 D5 L6 GF23 GA21
Win percentage: 39%
Sono was often the firefighter to come in and take charge when others had been sacked, though how much of a role he had in fanning the flames is open to conjecture.
He led Bafana to second place at the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations and at the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea following the axing of Queiroz.
10. Carlos Queiroz
Tenure: Oct 00-Mar 02
Record: P20 W9 D7 L4 GF20 GA15
Win percentage: 45%
Queiroz would go on to manage Real Madrid and Portugal (for the second time)‚ as well as have two successful spells as assistant coach at Manchester United after he was booted from the Bafana hot-seat following the 2002 Nations Cup.
South Africa had lost to hosts Mali in the quarterfinals‚ but had also clinched their spot at the World Cup finals in South Korea/Japan.
Queiroz’s first game in charge was a 0-0 draw to France‚ while aside from Mali‚ two of his other four losses came away in Italy (0-1) and Sweden (0-3).
9. Pitso Mosimane
Tenure(s): May 06-Nov 06, Aug 10-Jun 12
Record: P23 W9 D10 L4 GF17 GA8
Win percentage: 39%
Just maybe, the Bafana job came a little too early for Mosimane in his coaching career. He had a six-game caretaker spell before the arrival of Parreira in 2006, and then took over from the Brazilian post-2010 World Cup.
He had done well with SuperSport United, but perhaps did not have the street-smarts yet for the rigours of international football and he failed to get the team to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in an administrative blunder.
He would go on to become South Africa’s most successful club coach and may yet return to conclude his unfinished business with Bafana …
8. Joel Santana
Tenure: Jun 08-Oct 09
Record: P27 W10 D3 L14 GF25 GA30
Win percentage: 37%
A disaster of an appointment made to cover Parreira while he returned to Brazil to be with his sick wife, Santana had been a recommendation of the latter to keep the team going in their build-up to 2010.
But the side regressed under him, with so many limp performances bereft of direction and application, they became horrible to watch.
7. Gordan Igesund
Tenure(s): Jul 12- Aug 14
Record: P32 W14 D9 L9 GF42 GA30
Win percentage: 44%
Igesund had a two-year spell in charge before his contract was not renewed having failed to lead the side to glory on home soil in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, of the 2014 African Nations Championship, and suffered a humiliating 5-0 loss at the hands of Brazil.
But he did mastermind a 1-0 friendly win over world champions Spain, which was probably the highlight of his stay.
6. Trott Moloto
Tenure(s): Oct 98-Sep 00‚ Apr 02
Record: P34 W17 D9 L8 GF43 GA31
Win percentage: 50%
Moloto was named coach after the axing of Phillip Troussier following the 1998 FIFA World Cup and inherited a very good team.
He led the side to the Nations Cup in 2000‚ where they finished a reputable third‚ but did not fare so well against the likes of USA (0-4)‚ Mexico (2-4) and Ireland (1-2) at the Nike Cup which sowed the seeds of his dismissal in 2000.
He did set the side on the path to qualification for the 2002 World Cup.
5. Carlos Alberto Parreira
Tenure(s): Jan 07-Mar 08‚ Oct 09-Jul 10
Record: P36 W16 D13 L7 GF49 GA25
Win percentage: 44%
Brazilian Parreira was no tactical genius but he had a plan for Bafana and high up on his priorities was to make them among the fittest sides at the 2010 World Cup‚ something he achieved.
They gained four points from their three matches at that tournament‚ but it was not enough for a second round spot‚ while the team also exited in the first round of the 2008 Nations Cup under Parreira’s watch.
4. Clive Barker
Tenure: Mar 94-Dec 97
Record: P43 W22 D9 L12 GF57 GA38
Win percentage: 51%
Barker took over a team that was struggling on their return to international football and turned them into African champions within just a few years of readmission.
During that time he also engineered draws with powerhouses Argentina and Germany‚ and saw his side come within a whisker of upsetting the mighty Brazil.
He was axed late in 1997 having led Bafana to the 1998 Nations Cup and World Cup finals‚ but had to hand over the reins before he could test himself on those stages.
=2. Stuart Baxter
Tenure(s): May 04-Nov 05, May 17-July 19
Record: P52 W23 D13 L16 GF78 GA58
Win percentage: 44%
Baxter had two spells in charge, neither of which were as successful as he had hoped. He failed to qualify Bafana for the 2006 World Cup as they come unstuck in a tough preliminaries pool with an emerging Ghana team.
He left shortly after that but was back in 2017 following the axing of Mashaba and did qualify the side for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where they shocked hosts Egypt in the round of 16 but lost a quarterfinal to Nigeria.
=2. Hugo Broos
Tenure(s): May 21-present
Record: P52 W26 D19 L7 GF78 GA41
Win percentage: 48%
Broos is now Bafana’s longest serving coach in terms of years in charge having lasted five of them, which few would have predicted when he took over.
He narrowly failed to get the side to the third round of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, but has back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifications and a bronze medal from the finals in Ivory Coast int eh 2023 edition.
The last Cup of Nations was a disappointment, but he qualified the side for the World Cup for the first time since 2002, notwithstanding their appearance in 2010 as hosts.
He has said he will quite after the World Cup, though has gone a little lukewarm on that notion, and will hope to become the Bafana coach with the most matches with a guaranteed five still to come, and hopefully a warm-up or two ahead of the finals.
He would like to finish up in the knockout rounds of the competition.
1. Shakes Mashaba
Tenure(s): Oct 92‚ April 01‚ Aug 02-Nov 03‚ Sep 14-Nov 16
Record: P58 W32 D21 L5 GF94 GA40
Win percentage: 55%
Mashaba holds a number of national team records from his four spells leading the side (two as caretaker)‚ including most games in charge‚ most wins‚ goals scored and goals conceded.
He lost just five of his 58 games at the helm of the national team‚ not including penalty shoot-outs‚ though in the end he was perhaps undone by too many draws.
It is worth noting that he never led his side against a major power from outside of the African continent – something all on the list below did – and his record is padded by ‘soft’ fixtures.