Big three revival? Pitso Mosimane makes bold Kaizer Chiefs claim

Renowned South African tactician Pitso Mosimane has articulated a clear linkage between the recent dominance of Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns and the ease of execution for national team coach Hugo Broos.

Critically, Mosimane expressed strong optimism that Kaizer Chiefs will soon re-establish their contribution to this national footballing identity, completing the traditional ‘Big Three’ influence on Bafana Bafana.

Mosimane’s assessment, delivered during La Liga’s celebration of its 10th anniversary in Africa, acknowledged the entrenched success of the Buccaneers and the Brazilians. While Mamelodi Sundowns has asserted domestic hegemony with a run of eight consecutive league titles, Orlando Pirates has carved out a niche as the “cup kings” through consistent trophy success.

The Club-to-Country Pipeline

According to Mosimane, the star players and established systems within these two clubs form the structural backbone of the national squad. He argues that Bafana Bafana’s current playing philosophy is a distinct synthesis of the tactical approaches employed by Sundowns and Pirates, an advantageous situation for the national coach.

“The style of play of Bafana is exactly what you see at Pirates, what you see at Sundowns. It benefits the national team,” Mosimane noted.

This systemic continuity, he suggests, significantly reduces the tactical burden on the Belgian coach, Hugo Broos: “The coach doesn’t have to do much, the style is there, it’s embedded from Pirates, from Sundowns.”

Kaizer Chiefs’ Anticipated Resurgence

The former Sundowns coach reserved specific commentary for Kaizer Chiefs, expressing his conviction that the club is on the cusp of a revival that will elevate its influence on the national setup.

“I think Chiefs will follow very soon, and then we are winning,” Mosimane stated, linking a Chiefs resurgence directly to enhanced national success.

He lauded Broos for his exceptional work in player selection and building confidence, but ultimately credited the success to the foundation provided by the clubs. “That’s where you say national pride from the clubs.”

Mosimane concluded his analysis by shifting focus to the challenge of sustainability. While recognising Bafana’s positive trajectory over the past five years under Broos, he stressed the importance of long-term consistency at the elite level.

“The issue is, can we keep it there? Let’s avoid the deep. What must we do to avoid it? Staying there for a long time, it’s cold at the top, but we can.”