Pitso Mosimane warns Bafana Bafana about Kenya threat
Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has issued a clear warning to his players and the public ahead of South Africa’s crucial back-to-back 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya, urging absolute respect for the opposition and their coach, Benni McCarthy.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Mosimane stressed that Kenya should not be taken lightly — particularly if McCarthy’s future is tied to the results.
“If a player or a coach’s future depends on the game, you’ve got to be very, very careful of that, because sometimes the players play for him and you can get the biggest surprise you can ever have,” Mosimane said.
“Be very careful of playing an emotional team, and especially when they have nothing to lose. They’re already in the Cup of Nations qualifiers… so we’re taking nothing for granted.”
He went further, paying strong tribute to McCarthy’s pedigree.
“You’ve got to respect that Benni is a good coach. Benni was coach in Manchester United — a dream that any coach in South Africa wishes to fulfil,” he said.
“Coaching Ronaldo, excuse me. So you’ve got to respect the level at which he has coached and the level at which he has played. None of us in the whole continent has got the gold medal of the Champions League.”
Mosimane also pointed to Kenya’s European-based players (from England, Spain, France, Wales and elsewhere) and used Cape Verde’s World Cup performance as a cautionary example.
“Be careful of undermining teams. And also, as men from Cape Verde in the World Cup… you must respect all your opponents. It’s all on the pitch, and until the referee blows his final whistle, then you can say you’ve won the game.
“I don’t live in the space of complacency, because I’ve lost many games to teams that were bottom of the world or so-called minnows.”
South Africa face McCarthy’s Harambee Stars in the first leg at Orlando Stadium this Friday, with the return fixture in Nairobi. The double-header is seen as vital for Bafana’s AFCON qualification hopes.
