The future of Helman Mkhalele seems to be bleak. The former Bafana Bafana assistant coach has been off the grid since parting ways with the national team after the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
Mkhalele spent five years at Bafana as Hugo Broos’s assistant, where they guided the team to an Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) bronze medal in 2023, qualified for the World Cup for the first time in nearly 25 years, and ultimately ended a 16-year absence from the global showpiece.
Bafana went on to progress to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in the history of South African football. Mkhalele was in the thick of things in achieving that feat.
READ: Pitso Mosimane shuts the door on Helman Mkhaleles return to Bafana role
Speaking to Sunday World recently at his home in Bryanston, north of Johannesburg, development guru Augusto Palacios said Mkhalele, whom he coached at Bafana between 1992 and 1994, has what it takes to coach at club level because of his national team experience.
“I think he was in the most difficult and challenging space with the national team, being an assistant coach at the Afcon twice, and the World Cup is an experience that not many coaches get. No one can take it away from him,” Palacios said.
“Mkhalele has better experience than most coaches now coaching at club level. “He is still fairly young but it is up to him to take up that challenge. I strongly believe he has enough experience now.”
- Helman Mkhalele served as assistant coach of Bafana Bafana for five years under Hugo Broos.
- During his tenure, Bafana won a bronze medal at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and qualified for the World Cup for the first time in nearly 25 years.
- Bafana reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in South African football history with Mkhalele involved.
- Mkhalele has been out of the public eye since leaving his role after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Augusto Palacios believes Mkhalele has enough experience to coach at club level due to his national team coaching background.
If Pitso was a fair person, he ought to have roped him in as his assistant. Afterall, he has the necessary experience. But because Pitso always wants to be seen to be a special person, he left him out. But I’m one team in the PSL will offer him an opportunity to coach.
Pitso is not giving freebies there, particularly given what Mkhelele’s boss said about Pitso.And believe it not Pitso is on a much higher level than that Madala,a lot of former players who don’t want to arm themselves with real international coaching qualifications wouldn’t make it @ Hamilton ‘s staff.
You can say that again brother, if coach Pitso was a genuine person and had the best interest of the country, he would have included coach Mkhalele in technical team. We are talking about a South African born coach who won the CAF champions League as a player with Orlando Pirates, won the 1996 AFCON final as a player, that is in addition to everything else he has contributed in as far as where Bafana Bafana is at this point. I respect coach Pitso’s right and decision to choose his technical but, the country’s interest should come first. His justification about not including him is rather childish, comparing his decision to that of Carlo Ancelott who is said to have chosen his son to be his assistant. Look at our country’s rugby setup, after Jacques Nienaber won the world cup in 2019, when Rassie Erasmus returned as coach he kept him on board.Today, theSouth African rugby team (Springboks) is a brand because of their world dominance in the sport.
Mkhalele doesn’t have any coaching experience. He was an assistant so he only have assistant coach experience. Does he have qualifications to coach. If yes which qualifications.
Thanks brother you are clever real m working at rugby club but m nothing m general worker but there way things they do at rugby this people know their story brother but because safa is ruled by politicians that’s why they don’t accomplish bafana bafana
You are not talking about football boet. Helman was supposed to throw his own CV if he believed in himself…Pitso is a coach who’s got his own choices and has chosen his own assistant…
AS THINGS ARE PREVALENT NOW THAT THÈ NATIONAL TEAM IS BEING COACHED BY PITSO ,I WISH AND HOPE THAT MOKHÈLELE MUST THE COACH OF KAISER CHIEFS.
You may be right in thinking like wise, if he was not the brains behind the exclusion of Kaiser Chiefs players to be recognized in Bafana, just guessing 🤔
You see now, starting another conversation now
Why? He has not proven himself as an individual. Nothing qualifies him to coach Kaizer Chiefs
Let him start at smaller teams like Golden Arrows and Sekhukhune. They are always hiring coaches there.
That’s why you wrote your comment in caps 🥱
That would be a good try,but Bobby and Co.will not respect him
Pitso is not giving freebies there, particularly given what Mkhelele’s boss said about Pitso.And believe it not Pitso is on a much higher level than that Madala,a lot of former players who don’t want to arm themselves with real international coaching qualifications wouldn’t make it @ Hamilton ‘s staff.
He must go to KAIZER CHIEFS
South Africans are really unfair to Pitso Mosimane, let’s say he appointed Mkalele as his assistant, we would say, Pitso is doing good because of Mkhalele! We forgot that there times that Mkhalele was given opportunity to coach Bafana Bafana B and got no results! Didn’t Bafana Bafana B got nocked out of COSAFA under Mkhalele’s mentorship? In any World of soccer, a coach would always pick his own Assistants, #trusted assistants to work with! Mkhalele must first get a job as a Club coach! He must create his own CV not under Broos! What are Mkhalele’s achievements besides being on the bench as an assistant to Broos?
He won’t succeed at Chiefs . Kaizer Chiefs need strong prayer
Someone is saying Mkhalele is not qualified to coach Kaizer Chiefs yet Chiefs were so desperate for coaches that they were even coached by interpreters.And still are coached by someone who needs a translator to relay a message to the players.Chiefs must hire Lehlohonolo Seema,Mkhalele is too experienced to coach their lazy and overrated players.
Pitso Mosimane is acting like a child, we all know very well that he hate Orlando Pirates with his heart by taking revenge on the wrong people.
It is also happening currently with the Pirates player at the team now,in his remarks.
Ayikho tu le nto uyithethayo, since when does Pitso hate Pirates? No man dont create your stories here..
You are not talking about football boet. Helman was supposed to throw his own CV if he believed in himself…Pitso is a coach who’s got his own choices and has chosen his own assistant…
Mkhelele is a hired gun by pirates will off him a spying position like ncikazi
If we all had better interest of the national team at , Mkhalele should have been included, taking into consideration what he and the previous coach had done , but most of South Africans people always look at things with private agendas as opposed to that of the nation, Pitso has previously failed to prove himself to be a good coach in this position, I even wonder for what reason he has been for the second time given this opportunity. Hellman has a good understanding of currently players better than Pitso, God forbid, wait and see for Pitso’s second failure.
Pitdo is just a journeyman. He failed before and will fail again judging by his offield utterances and behavior. Hopefully he knows the rules of the competition this time around. He should attend a media training course.
Give Pitso space please. Don’t force Helman into pitso s technical team asseblief
Pitso, got the job of coaching the national team, through the minister of sport, because he mentioned his name to be the one to take over when Madala his contract expired, Safa was under pressure for his comment.
I think everyone knows that Pitso has always been personal, if he hates u or has a grudge against u as a player or hates ur team he will never pick u even if ur the best player, so I’m not surprised about what he did to Helman, it proves that he hates the man, worse he even went n call an assistant from outside
@jack correction: Moreboli is from Rosendal in Free State, he Coaches Maluti FC. Learn about football before you flap your babbler. Your comment describes you more than it reflects on Pitso. You hate Pitso, you want him to fail and he will succeed with or without your support. Pitso has won CAF champions league back to back without Mkhalele, why use him now, what has Mkhalele won as a Coach? And where?
This is not national unity, all this is very sad reflection of the nation we becoming. Daggers are all out on Pitso & his technical team, views are unashamedly premise on club lineage partisanship. This is a national team, emphasis, national. Individuals have the right to express their opinions, but within rational parameters void of unguarded emotion. Execution of faith leap frog & trusting the process rather than shambolic bickering should be considered a viable option. I choose to respect both Pitso & Helman on the matter & give the process to naturally unfold
This is not national unity, all this is very sad reflection of the nation we becoming. Daggers are all out on Pitso & his technical team, views are unashamedly premise on club lineage partisanship. This is a national team, emphasis, national. Individuals have the right to express their opinions, but within rational parameters void of unguarded emotion. Execution of faith leap frog & trusting the process rather than shambolic bickering should be considered a viable option. I choose to respect both Pitso & Helman on the matter & give the process to naturally unfold
Pitso made a right call. Mourinho fired Gigs at Man U and when asked why didn’t he leave the legend of the club, he asked why was he not taking any heat when all the coaches were fired while he remained “assistant” with no blame. The results will fall on Pitso not Mkhalele. If he was that good SAFA would have offered him the job especially after Pitso refused the first offer. If he believed he was that good he would also apply for the job but he didn’t. After he was touted as the next Bafana coach by Hugo Broos, do you think his ego would allow him to take instructions from Pitso? He was more likely to subbotage Pitso so coach Pitso made a correct decision. Every decision and result will fall on him which is what he said. Even at Sundowns he said he wanted to be held responsible by his decisions not someone sign players and assistant coaches yet he must answer when the results are bad.
The issue here is about Cadre deployment that happened on the appointment of Pitso the way we don’t want to happen in our sports, some one spoke about how Rugby set up is no one will come and poke their stupid ideas at Rugby technically set up they have a future Springbok team as we speak.
Pitso did great by removing Mkhelele. in football to win you can’t believe in defensive football but in attacking football that is were we believe and with the hunger and talent of this young guns Pitso is sure to make it without Mkhelele
I agree with those that say MKHELELE does not want to take responsibility. He should have thrown his CV . In any case , it would seem he doesn’t want to take the challenge .