After Rulani Mokwena joined the likes of Pitso Mosimane and Fadlu Davids as coaches stepping out of their comfort zones, more South Africans have been urged venture abroad.
Mosimane has become the leading coach from South Africa to break new ground abroad, as since his move to Al Ahly in 2020 and after spending two years in Egypt, the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach has traversed countries in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
After Davids won the Botola Pro League with Raja Casablanca as assistant coach to Josef Zinnbauer, the former Maritzburg United tactician set sail to be the head coach of Simba in Tanzania.
Mokwena has also ventured into new territory outside the country, after he was appointed head coach of Wydad Casablanca during the off-season.
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Although coaches such as Thabo Senong and Morena Ramoreboli don't get enough credit for carving out a coaching career in Tanzania and Botswana, former Young Africans midfielder Mahlatse Makudubela says South African coaches are rated outside the country and need to believe in themselves as they can also coach in countries such as Saudi Arabia.
"We have good coaches who are knowledgeable, particularly South Africans. I can tell you, outside, South Africans are rated but South Africans don't want to leave and play outside," Makudubela said on Junior Khanye Khohlwa Podcast.
"But so are the coaches. If coaches can step up and go outside, coach in the UAE, Saudi Arabia. [In Saudi Arabia], you get coaches from Brazil who were coaching Under 19s, they are coaching in the Yelo League [second division in Saudi], from Vodacom [third tier] of Brazil, they are coaching in the Yelo League, they are earning big bucks.
"No football insight, no tactics. I was recently in Saudi Arabia, a very good coach told me he's following South African football more, he thinks S.A. has good coaches. Why can't S.A. coaches go outside? I respected coach Thabo Senong for going to Tanzania, because what I heard from the players, they said, 'He's a very good coach', yet in South Africa we don't [rate] him. Fadlu in East Africa, you listen to players, they say 'Wow, he's a very knowledgeable coach, top coach'. He was not at Raja by mistake," said the 34-year-old, who became the first South African footballer to play in the Tanzanian Premier League.
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Mosimane, who won the Yelo League with Al Ahli Saudi, is the only South African coach with a CAF Pro License, which is equivalent to a UEFA Pro.
Benni McCarthy is the only South African coach who holds a UEFA Pro License outright, the highest coaching qualification in the world.
