By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Molefi Ntseki is back as Bafana Bafana assistant coach to the newly appointed, Belgian Hugo Broos.
Broos confirmed this in an interview with SAFM on Friday evening.
“I asked Safa about a second assistant coach,” said Broos, who has already named Macedonia-born Belgian Cedomir Janevski as his other assistant.
“And they asked me ‘what do you think about him (Molefi Ntseki) and I said if he is fine with being second again then I have no problems and I met with him and he’s a good football person.
“I can tell that he’s … a good coach. He knows everything about the players and their backgrounds.”
Ntseki was Stuart Baxter’s assistant coach at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and took over as head coach when Baxter departed after reaching the quarterfinals, where Bafana were beaten by Nigeria.
The former South African Under-20 head coach, however, was sacked at the end of March after failing to guide Bafana to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Ntseki was born in Botshabelo in the Free State province 50 years ago.
He is a teacher by profession, and while he was pursuing his career in the education sector, Ntseki discovered his passion to be a football coach.
After working as a professional teacher for a decade between 1988 and 1998, Ntseki moved into coaching on a permanent basis.
Ntseki played for Unisaints and Welkom Stars in the early years of his playing career.
In 1998, Ntseki quit teaching and ventured into coaching, and he was given the chance to work at his former club Welkom Stars.
Ntseki resigned a year later to start the Harmony Sports Academy. He was in charge of the academy until 2007 when he was hired as head coach of African Warriors in Qwaqwa.
At the time, African Warriors were campaigning in the National First Division. He was there for two years between 2007 and 2009.
Ntseki then got the job as Serame Letsoaka’s assistant at SA U20 team and later served under Macky Chenai and Solly Luvhengo in the same capacity.
He also served as assistant to Shakes Mashaba, who was then South Africa’s U23 head coach.
In September 2010, Ntseki joined Bloemfontein Celtic as an assistant coach and he worked at the club until 2014 when he was appointed as head coach of Amajimbos (SA U17).
He was then Baxter’s right-hand man during Bafana’s qualifying campaign, and again at Afcon 2019 finals in Egypt, where Bafana reached the quarter-final stage.