“You Need A Sangoma Next To You”: Mosimane Fires Back Over Matuludi Selection
Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has defended his decision to select Thabang Matuludi despite the defender not playing for Polokwane City this season before his move to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Matuludi did not start the season with Rise and Shine, with rumours circulating that the defender wanted to leave the club.
Two weeks ago, Matuludi was announced as a Sundowns player after previously being linked with a move to Orlando Pirates. He made his debut for the Brazilians over the weekend against the Asian champions in the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup.
He assisted Nuno Santos’ second goal with a header as Sundowns reached the semi-finals of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup over the weekend.
Despite his lack of competitive football at Polokwane City at the start of the season, Matuludi had already been included in Mosimane’s final Bafana Bafana squad, which the coach announced midweek.
Mosimane has now explained why he was comfortable selecting the defender, saying his decision was based on research and his knowledge of what Matuludi had been doing during pre-season.
“Well, sometimes you need a little bit of a sangoma next to you, right? To predict and tell you what to do,” Mosimane said.
“And I know that somewhere, somehow, someone’s going to say, ‘Why are you picking a player who’s not playing?’ Right? We do our research. I’ve watched him. I know he’s been training the whole pre-season. He’s played a few friendly games in the pre-season.
“You and I don’t get involved in the other stuff that clubs do. The players belong to clubs. We should respect the clubs. We should also respect the coaches at their respective teams.
“But a national team player is a national team player, right?
“And also, it’s important that the players must know that if they train and they’re doing things well and we are watching, we know what’s happening.
“We don’t just arrogantly choose Matuludi because we want to put a Matuludi.
“And unfortunately, as a coach, you know how it is. Our jobs are, you’ve got to tell before, right? And mostly in football, you guys tell after, right? If he was right or wrong.
“And if he’s wrong, we know that we’re gonna get the grief out of it, right? And if we are right, that’s why we are coaches, you know?
“So, yeah, we do our research. I’ve followed Matuludi all the way, all the way. Ever since I’ve been given the opportunity to be able to be the Bafana coach, I’ve just researched everything and everywhere, long before I signed the contract. So I’ve been checking.”
Mosimane’s comments come as Bafana prepare for two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches during this FIFA international break.
Bafana will first face Guinea on Saturday at Orlando Amstel Arena before travelling to Egypt, where they will face Eritrea next Wednesday. Both matches form part of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
After those two matches, Bafana will remain in Egypt for a friendly against the Pharaohs on 4 October. Mosimane explained why he wanted a strong opponent rather than choosing a team that could provide an easier victory.
“Also, it’s easy to play a friendly that you can always win. Let’s play Egypt. Come on, let’s do it, right?” Mosimane added.
“And I also know my fate 14 years back. It’s because my challenge was: I picked Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Ghana, the top six on the continent. I put them there as my friendly games to prepare, and I got all the draws, right?
“And you know my fate for that, right? And I’m asking myself, am I doing the same thing again with these friendly games?
“Or get somebody on the next… who we can score five goals, and then we can always say we’ve turned the corner, right? It’s easier because you’ll see the goals.
“But I’m that guy who follows only thought, right? I believe that you need to do it right, okay?
“And it might not go well, but it’s part of life. That’s it, that’s me in football, right?
“When it’s easy and comfortable, I get bored, right? I need the rush. I need to be on the edge a little bit, and I think that’s what I am.”
