Dr Danny Jordaan, the long-serving SAFA president, is sticking with Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis despite South Africa failing to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games. Ellis has faced the usual backlash that comes with every setback in football.

Banyana Banyana lost 1-0 on aggregate to Nigeria’s Super Falcons. Some in the football fraternity have called for Ellis to be relieved of her duties as head coach. However, SAFA is unmoved and already looking forward to defending the Africa Cup of Nations title with Coach Des.

“No, of course, we wanted to qualify for the Olympics in Paris, it is a setback but in football, it happens. You get setbacks but you must continue, that’s how football operates there are continuous competitions. So, our next step is to go back to the WAFCON and to go and defend our title,” Jordaan told the media after a SAFA NEC meeting in the East of Johannesburg.

Ellis took the South African women’s national team to the second round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022. Portia Modise, a pioneer in women’s football and a record-breaker, is on record saying that it was time for a change because Desiree Ellis had reached her ceiling with Banyana Banyana.

“She has done well, but it’s time to bring in someone with a second plan,” the vocal Modise said.

Modise and a few others have also been vocal during and after the World Cup regarding the selection of players, with Modise going as far as saying Ellis showed favouritism toward coloured players. Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper, Andile Dlamini has been benched in favour of Kaylin Swart and that sparked conversations and unsavoury debate. Dlamini being nominated and winning awards while being overlooked for the number one at the national level has not helped Ellis’ cause.

Ellis’ next challenge will be qualifying and winning the WAFCON tournament. SAFA usually has one of the junior national team coaches take charge of the COSAFA Women’s Championships which will be played in a few months.