Pitso Mosimane is about to begin his second spell in charge of Bafana Bafana, and one of his biggest early tasks will be finding the right combination of players to lead South Africa into the next Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Mosimane, affectionately known as Jingles, will officially begin his new era later this month when Bafana face Guinea and Eritrea in the AFCON qualifiers.
The fixtures will provide the experienced coach with his first opportunity to assess his squad competitively after replacing Hugo Broos.
With Mosimane having already named his preliminary squad, attention has now turned to which players could form his strongest starting XI.
Ronwen Williams remains the first choice
In goal, Ronwen Williams remains the obvious choice.
The Mamelodi Sundowns captain has established himself as one of Bafana’s most trusted players and offers leadership as well as experience at international level.
Sipho Chaine and Ricardo Goss provide competition, but Williams would be expected to retain the No. 1 jersey when fully fit.
Defensive questions for Mosimane
At right-back, Khuliso Mudau remains a strong option, although Kamohelo Sebelebele provides competition and another tactical option.
The centre-back positions could be more interesting.
Ime Okon has emerged as an option, while Olwethu Makhanya and Lebone Seema are also in contention.
However, a potentially exciting partnership would be Seema alongside Mbekezeli Mbokazi.
The pair previously worked together at Orlando Pirates and could potentially bring familiarity and understanding to the heart of the Bafana defence if Mbokazi returns to the national-team setup.
On the left, Aubrey Modiba remains a dependable choice, although Mosimane has several younger players capable of challenging for the position in the future.
Midfield gives Pitso plenty of options
The midfield could be built around the experienced pairing of Sphephelo Sithole and Teboho Mokoena.
Sithole provides physical presence and defensive protection, while Mokoena offers energy, passing ability and a threat from distance.
Thalente Mbatha is another player who could force his way into the XI, particularly against physically demanding opponents where additional energy and intensity could be required.
Mosimane’s challenge will be finding the right balance between control, creativity and defensive security.
Mofokeng could be the attacking spark
One player who could become central to Mosimane’s plans is Relebohile Mofokeng.
The young attacker offers considerable versatility and can operate as a No. 10 or from either flank.
That flexibility could allow Mosimane to change the shape of the attack without necessarily making substitutions.
Alongside Mofokeng, Oswin Appollis and Thapelo Maseko could provide pace and creativity from wide areas.
The No. 9 dilemma
Perhaps the biggest selection headache is the striker position.
Lyle Foster remains an important option for Bafana, but consistency in front of goal will be crucial.
Yanela Mbuthuma is another player pushing for an opportunity, but Mosimane will want his No. 9 to provide a reliable source of goals during the AFCON qualifying campaign.
With qualification potentially decided by fine margins, converting chances will be one of the biggest priorities for the new coach.
Our strongest Bafana Bafana XI
With all players fit and available, this is one possible starting XI that could give Mosimane a strong foundation:
Ronwen Williams; Khuliso Mudau, Lebone Seema, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba; Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena; Relebohile Mofokeng, Oswin Appollis, Thapelo Maseko; Lyle Foster.
It would provide experience at the back, a balanced midfield and plenty of pace and creativity in attack.
But Mosimane has plenty of competition for places, meaning the final squad could look significantly different once the coach has had the opportunity to work with his players.
The Guinea and Eritrea qualifiers should provide the first real indication of how Mosimane intends to build his Bafana Bafana team.
Who would you select in your strongest Bafana starting XI?
