Simphiwe Dludlu Tipped to Replace Desiree Ellis as Banyana Banyana Coach After WAFCON Exit
- Banyana Banyana finished fourth at the 2024 WAFCON after a penalty shootout loss to Ghana, sparking questions about the future of head coach Desiree Ellis
- Coach Desiree Ellis, who has led the team since 2016, refused to confirm whether she will stay on, amid reports she has been working without a contract since July 2022.
- Former Banyana captain and Under-17 coach Simphiwe Dludlu has emerged as a strong candidate to replace Ellis, with growing support from fans
Banyana Banyana are expected back in the country on Wednesday, after a disappointing outing at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The South Africans finished fourth after losing to Ghana on penalties on Friday.
Coach Desiree Ellis, when pressed on her future before the game, said she would only talk about it when she gets back home after the tournament. Ellis refused to give any clear indication of whether she will continue beyond this tournament at the helm of South Africa's women's football team.
She has been coach since 2016 and won the WAFCON title three years ago in Morocco. She also led South Africa to their maiden World Cup in France in 2019, and again to the recent edition held in Australia and New Zealand.
What did Ellis about her future?
“Look, all I'm looking forward to is the game tomorrow. Obviously, when we get back home, I’ll take a little bit of a break and we’ll sit down and then see the way forward from there,” said Ellis.
With unconfirmed reports suggesting Ellis has been working without a contract since July 2022, it could be time for fresh ideas and a new person to take this group of Banyana Banyana forward. Fans have been vocal in calling for someone new to take over, as Ellis has also faced criticism for her team selections, which have stirred controversy at times.
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Who could replace Ellis?
One name that comes up frequently as a potential replacement is that of former Under-17 women's team head coach, Simphiwe Dludlu.
Dludlu is a former player who captained Banyana Banyana between 2009 and 2010, earning 63 caps for South Africa. She also played for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies.
In terms of coaching, she was in charge of selecting Team B that participated in the 2022 COSAFA Women's Championships in the absence of Desiree Ellis. Her team was beaten by Zambia in the final and earned a silver medal.
During her tenure as coach of the Under-17s, she led the team to a silver medal in 2019 and third place in 2022. Dludlu also guided them to their second World Cup appearance in Uruguay, after the initial group qualified for the 2010 finals in Trinidad and Tobago.
She also served as one of Ellis' assistant coaches during the recent Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
What did Dludlu say about her coaching aspirations?
When asked in 2023 during an interview with CAF Online about her coaching aspirations, she spoke about her ambition to coach overseas:
"I would like to gain momentum into positions where I can make positive impact as a decision maker to influence programs that will add value to women's football. I see myself coaching in spaces where I can fully call coaching a career because my salary reflects that too. I would love to coach overseas (it can still be in Africa) where there's rapid growth and opportunities for women coaches, so that I can continue adding value to the growth of women's football."
Ellis explains why Banyana lost to Nigeria
Briefly News earlier reported that Ellis reacted to Banyana Banyana's defeat against Nigeria in the semi-finals of the WAFCON.
The Banyana Banyana head coach opened up why her team failed to progress to the next stage of the competition.
Source: Briefly News
