Mosimane has had a year to savour

Given that it is still standing at well over 4500 years old, it is fair to say that the Great Pyramids of Giza have a fairly impressive foundation.

At the Cairo Military Stadium on Sunday night, those watching may well have noticed another solid foundation, slightly less ancient and mystical, and human rather than limestone. Bafana Bafana, for a fourth consecutive game in 2012 African Nations Cup qualifying, refused to yield a single goal, as they held the Pharaohs in the Egyptian capital.

The case for the defence has been a startling attribute of Pitso Mosimane’s revitalised Bafana, who find themselves well on course for the 2012 African Nations Cup finals, two points clear at the top of Group G.

“We are more organised now,” he said on Monday.

“You can’t break us down. It’s all about tactics, mental strength and a good group with no stars.”

It is also becoming quite apparent that this “group” has an excellent coach.

Mosimane came into the job on the back of the 2010 Fifa World Cup armed with the task of proving he could fill the shoes left behind by Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira.

As an assistant to both Parreira, over two spells, and Joel Santana, the former SuperSport United coach made no secret of the fact that he coveted the top job once the World Cup was over.

He had already done well in 2006, taking over in a caretaker capacity with Khabo Zondo, and engineering an excellent Nations Cup qualifier victory over Zambia in Lusaka, just before Parreira’s first tenure.

But here he was no caretaker. Here he had been given the full responsibility by the South African Football Association to lead the country.

It has to be said that Parreira, in his second spell, laid an excellent foundation for Bafana in the build up to the World Cup.

The three-month training camp in Brazil was imperative in getting the local-based players to gel, and that has been carried through into Mosimane’s squad.

Bafana’s captain on Sunday, Siphiwe Tshabalala, for example, has been a revelation ever since that camp.

Competitively, however, Parreira’s full-strength Bafana appeared to lack a little bite.

The Brazilian was fortunate to qualify for the 2008 Nations Cup finals, and even in the 2010 World Cup finals, his insistence on playing one striker appeared to hamper Bafana’s chances of qualifying for the second round.

When Bafana beat France 2-1 in Parreira’s final match in charge, they used tactics remarkably similar to that of this Mosimane era.

Anele Ngcongca was introduced at right back.

Bernard Parker partnered Katelgo Mphela up front.

It was almost as if the new coach was allowed to pick the team.

These are certainly tactics that have subsequently worked for Mosimane.

On top of his tactical approach, another factor for Bafana’s success has to be Mosimane’s rapport with his players. Inside the Bafana camp, the word “father figure” is bandied around aplenty by the players to describe a man they clearly respect.

Mosimane has a massive passion for the game, and he managed to instil similarly gut-filled performances from his players.

If Itumeleng Khune has been shaky at times for Kaizer Chiefs, he has been outstanding for Bafana under Mosimane.

Could anyone else have exhorted a performance of such extraordinary zest from Reneilwe Letsholonyane as he produced against the Pharaohs on Sunday?

Mosimane is also clearly not afraid to make big decisions.

Former captain Aaron Mokoena has already been dispensed with.

Young Andile Jali was thrown into the mix on Sunday without hesitation and did brilliantly.

If Bafana have a weakness right now, it is with their ability to find a killer instinct.

Katlego Mphela’s winner against Egypt at Coca-Cola Park was the exception rather than the rule.

Mphela and Tlou Segolela should both have finished off Egypt on Sunday.

Niger were beaten 2-0 at home, but it might have been six.

Against Sierra Leone in Freetown, though conditions were dreadful, and Egypt in Johannesburg, Bafana did not create enough going forward.

Generally, however, this has been a season to celebrate for South African football. Bafana are back in the top five in Africa, and in with an excellent shot at continental glory in 2012.

It’s so far so good for Pitso Mosimane.