“Time to Pass the Baton”: Desiree Ellis Set to Decide Future After Banyana’s WAFCON Bronze Battle
- Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis is set to decide her coaching future after the WAFCON third-place clash against Ghana.
- Banyana Banyana boss avoided confirming whether she would stay on after the Morocco tournament
- Ellis reflected on the team morale and rotation criticism following the semi-final loss to Nigeria
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Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis is set to decide her future after Friday's third-place play-off match against Ghana.
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.
Source: Getty Images
She has been a 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.
“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.
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How is morale at the camp after the defeat to Nigeria?
Ellis, who came under heavy scrutiny over her rotation policy, also spoke about morale in the camp after the dispiriting defeat to the Super Falcons, which saw attacker Gabby Salgado suffer an injury.
“The ambition was to get to the final and go back-to-back, so it’s a bit of a disappointment not reaching the final, but we still have a game to play and we want to end on a high note. We've played against Ghana, and it's always difficult to face the same side twice in the tournament. But we'll give it our best shot,” Ellis said.
The two sides fighting for the bronze medal met in the opening game of the tournament, with Banyana Banyana coming out victorious 2-0, thanks to first-half goals from Linda Motlhalo and Jermaine Seoposenwe.
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“This is not the match we wanted to play, but it’s in front of us. We want to go home with something, not just for Gaby (Salgado) but for Jermaine (Seoposenwe) as well. We were hoping to give her a fantastic send-off, but unfortunately, it didn’t work that way."
The ladies are expected to return to the country on Wednesday. Meanwhile, hosts Morocco and Nigeria will contest the WAFCON 2024 final on Saturday, 26 July at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
Source: Getty Images
How did South Africans react to Ellis' tenure as coach?
@Thee3nthusiasts:
"Thank you so much, Dr. Desiree Ellis. You are a part of the Banyana Banyana legacy. We appreciate your sacrifices and dedication you have shown throughout the years. You are a legend. Now it's time to pass on the responsibility to someone else."
@_mashesha:
"We thank Desiree Ellis for all that she has done and achieved with Banyana Banyana. The time has come for her to hand over to someone else now."
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@SbusisoMhlanga0:
"Not in a bad way, but I think it's time that Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis make a change!"
@mpho_rsa:
"The most notable and honourable thing Dr. Desiree Ellis can do in the coming days is to relinquish the coaching duties. She has done it all and siyabonga. Fresh ideas are needed."
@LloydBanxx:
"Goodbye, Desiree Ellis. Thanks for nothing."
Why Banyana might not retain the title
Speaking to Briefly News in an exclusive chat, Moses Mbogo explained why it might be difficult for South Africa to retain the WAFCON title this year despite being one of the favourites.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria and the host, Morocco, are also expected to pose serious challenge for Ellis' side.
Mbogo pointed out Kgatlana's absence as one of the things that could make their title defence difficult.
Source: Briefly News
