Hugo Broos Warns Pitso Mosimane of Major Challenge if He Takes Bafana Bafana Job

Hugo Broos has backed Pitso Mosimane as the leading candidate to take charge of South Africa, while reflecting on the principles that shaped his own successful tenure with Bafana Bafana and his decision to step away from coaching.

The 74-year-old Belgian was initially expected to bring an end to his remarkable coaching career after guiding South Africa through the 2026 World Cup cycle.

Yet despite insisting that his coaching chapter is effectively closed, Hugo Broos admits he still misses football and would welcome a different kind of role.

Hugo Broos believes Pitso Mosimane's possible return to the South Africa job would come with a major challenge, resisting pressure from club owners and agents over team selection

“Perhaps,” he said in an interview with Nieuwsblad. “You know, South Africa still doesn't have a coach. The main candidate is Pitso Mosimane, a successful South African manager. However, they know that if he comes in, it will be a step back five years in time. Club owners and agents will be calling the coach to influence team selection. I threw all of them out. If one called, I'd tell them flatly: 'I don't talk with agents.'”

The comments underscore the uncompromising approach Broos adopted during his time with Bafana Bafana, in which he insisted on making football decisions without outside influence.

That stance was tested repeatedly during his career, including during his time at Mouscron, where he was once offered money to influence a transfer.

Hugo Broos recalled an incident involving the Zewlakow brothers, Marcin and Michal, whose agent initially offered him a commission if the players signed for Mouscron.

“We wanted to sign the brothers Marcin and Michal Zewlakow,” he explains. “Their agent told me, 'If they both sign, I'll give you a million.' That was in Belgian francs, of course (€25,000). But I didn't want it. The Zewlakows signed, and he called me: 'Can I at least treat you to dinner?' I agreed. We went to eat in Mouscron, and suddenly he pulls out a brown envelope and puts it on the table. 'This is for you, and I'm not taking it back.'”

Hugo Broos said he immediately handed the money to the club chairman, reinforcing the values he believes should guide football management.

“I immediately called the chairman, Mr. Detremmerie, and gave him the money. Just like that, the Zewlakows cost a million less. That's my upbringing. Norms and values. Once you start accepting things like that, you're trapped forever.”

Although Broos says he has made peace with leaving coaching, retirement has not completely separated him from the game.

After nearly six decades in professional football as both a player and coach, he admits that he is still adjusting to life without the demands of the dugout.

“I've never had a life like this,” he says cheerfully. “No worries, no phone calls. I just wake up and see what the day brings. For now, it's perfect. But I know myself. In a few months, this situation will become a problem.”

Broos explained that family considerations were central to his decision, particularly after spending the final years of his career working away from home in South Africa. He also acknowledged that the physical and mental demands of coaching had begun to feel different.

“For my family. I enjoy being alone sometimes; my wife has a busy social life and is often out for the afternoon, but not seven days a week, for weeks on end, like it was during my last five years with South Africa,” he said.

“Also, I found myself having to push myself for certain tasks these last two years, like preparing training sessions or scouting opponents. When you start to feel that, it's time to close the book. One day, you just don't have the desire to do the job properly anymore. I don't want that. That's why I decided last year that the World Cup would be the ideal time to stop.”

Broos' career has taken him across Europe and Africa, with major successes including the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title with Cameroon and domestic championships in Belgium.

His time in South Africa brought another memorable chapter, with Bafana Bafana reaching the AFCON semi-finals and eventually finishing third. That success made his departure particularly emotional.

“I had to swallow hard a few times in those final weeks, yes. The gratitude I experienced there was unlike anything I've ever seen. Especially after we finished third at the Africa Cup of Nations and made it past the group stage for the first time.”

For now, Broos appears determined to enjoy a quieter life. But even as he closes the door on full-time coaching, the veteran tactician admits there is still one thing he would like to hear. “I hope I get a phone call in the coming weeks or months.”