Broos backs Bafana legend Mkhalele as second in command after Janevski departure

Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos admits he is not too concerned about the departure of assistant coach Cedo Janevski as he puts his full trust in Helman Mkhalele to be his second in command.

Broos appointed Janevski as his assistant when he arrived for the Bafana gig in 2021, but the national team mentor revealed he no longer could persuade the 61-year-old to remain in South Africa.

Janevski has taken up the role of head coach at AEL Limassol in Cyprus.

"It was not the first time that he got an offer. Everyone, including me, knows that Cedo is a good coach," Broos told reporters.

"He had done a lot of work in Cyprus before. He had an offer in November, but I refused to let him go. And because we are friends, he agreed to that.

"He had another offer in January from a top team in Cyprus and I refused again. And again, he agreed to stay on as the assistant coach of Bafana.

"But you can understand that when someone gets a third offer in a year, it's difficult to refuse. That's when I gave him permission to start negotiations.

"On Thursday, he had an agreement with the club. I saw the written contract. We arranged everything with SAFA on Friday, and he left on Saturday night."

The Belgian-born boss was then probed as to whether he will replace Janevski and Broos stated that he intended to move forward with Mkhalele at his side, opting not to search for another assistant.

"If I was going to replace him (Janevski), it was going to be, again, a Belgian because I don't have enough information about a South African," Broos said.

"But I am confident in what I have now. I didn't know Helman a year ago. And that's why you have to take someone from your country when you go abroad.

"You can trust that person 100%. You know how they are working.