Queiroz open to return as Bafana coach

www.Sport24.co.za – CAPE TOWN, Former Bafana Bafana head coach Carlos Queiroz would be honored if he gets another chance to mentor the senior national side.

Queiroz, 63, resigned as Iran national coach earlier this month, but his resignation has yet to be accepted.

The former Manchester United assistant coach has been in charge of Iran since 2011.

Meanwhile, South Africa have been without a coach since the end of December 2016, after Shakes Mashaba was sacked.

Queiroz mentored South Africa from 2000-2002 and guided Bafana Bafana through the 2002 Soccer World Cup qualifiers.

“If I’m free and considered for the position of national team coach of South Africa, not only for me, there is not a single coach in the world that if a national team thinks that his name can drive the dreams and expectations of the country forward, that is always a great honour for a coach. There is no doubt about that,” Queiroz said as quoted by EWN Sport.

Queiroz took Iran to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and continued to improve the state of football in the Middle East country after guiding Iran to the 2015 Asia Cup quarter-finals where they lost 7-6 in a penalty shootout to Iraq.

According to Goal.com, Queiroz is currently in the country, but only to visit his daughter.

South Africa Football Association (SAFA) president, Danny Jordaan, confirmed that the search process for a new Bafana Bafana coach has not begun.

Pitso Mosimane and Gavin Hunt have all been linked with the job including former Orlando Pirates coaches Roger de Sa, Ruud Krol and Milutin Sredojevic.

De Sa recently accepted the Maritzburg United job on a six month contract while Mosimane reportedly wants to remain at Mamelodi Sundowns following a successful 2015/16 season.

Sredojevic is currently at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon as Uganda’s head coach.