Steven Pienaar Sets Sights on South African Coaching Role, Dreams of Managing the National Team One Day

Steven Pienaar Sets Sights on South African Coaching Role, Dreams of Managing the National Team One Day

Byron Pillay
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:02 PM
  • Steven Pienaar is currently coaching at Ajax Amsterdam but dreams of coaching the national team one day
  • Steven Pienaar played 61 games for Bafana Bafana over a ten year period but still wants to help the South African team
  • Former Bafana star Steven Pienaar commented that it was disappointing to see the national team failing to qualify for AFCON

Steven Pienaar is one of South Africa’s most successful players and continues to make the country proud now that his playing days are over.

Pienaar is now Assistant Coach at Ajax’s u/18 team but dreams of bigger things.

Steven Pienaar, South Africa, Coaching Role, Dreams, Managing, National Team, Ajax Amsterdam, Everton, Bafana, Hugo Broos, Benni McCarthy
Steven Pienaar has ambitions to one day coach the South African National team, adding that it was a dream of his to do so. @Soccer_Laduma/ @prappyone
Source: Twitter

As reported by Soccer Laduma, Pienaar has set his sights on one day coaching the South African national team.

“It’s a dream for every player or manager to coach your national team and that dream is still with me. I know I am only at the beginning of my coaching career, but that’s one of the plans I want for myself,” Pienaar said.”

Pienaar retired from playing football in 2018 and took up coaching with Ajax Amsterdam, a team he previously played for. He first served as a skills coach for the club’s under 16 midfielders and then took up the post as an assistant coach for the under 18 side. Pienaar is currently working towards his UEFA Pro License.

The former Bafana star also commented on the state of the national team at the moment. Pienaar played 61 games for the national team and scored three goals during a ten-year period. While speaking about the current squad, he added that it was disappointing that the country was not even competing in AFCON or in the World Cup.

He added that it was good to see, though, that the new management was trying to build a team with young players who had a desire to represent the country.

Pienaar has spoken out about the state of the national team before and last year suggested that Benni McCarthy be handed the coaching role of Bafana, Sowetan LIVE reported.

Pienaar believed that McCarthy had the stature to command the respect of the players and showed potential during his time in charge of AmaZulu.

“Disgrace”: Bafana Bafana Legend Steven Pienaar Questions Penalty Handed to Ghana

In other news related to Pienaar, Sports Brief earlier reported that former Bafana Bafana midfielder Steven Pienaar has also questioned the penalty that was given to Ghana as they beat the South Africans 1-0.

The crucial 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier has been turned into a controversial encounter as many fans are voicing their unhappiness with the match officials. Bafana needed a win or a draw in their final clash of Group G on Sunday night.

However, there are calls that the match was fixed and the South African Football Association has already lodged a complaint with FIFA. Pienaar headed online to share his views on the penalty that ensured the West Africans emerged as victors.

Authors
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Byron Pillay
Byron Pillay is a sports writer and Head of the Department at Sports Brief (joined in 2022) with over 10 years of experience in community journalism and a degree in journalism from Caxton's Cadet School.
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South Africa