Gordon Igesund was appointed South Africa football coach on Saturday and was charged with restoring confidence in the national team after a poor and at times embarrassing spell under Pitso Mosimane.
The South African Football Association said the 55-year-old Igesund would take over on a two-year deal and must reach at least the semifinals of next year's African Cup of Nations, which South Africa hosts, and qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
He beat caretaker Steve Komphela to the role after interviews with SAFA officials.
''He showed us how he would come in and turn the team around in terms of performance. That impressed us,'' SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani said of Igesund.
Igesund and Komphela, a former national team defender, reached the final round of interviews after five candidates were initially considered, including 1996 African Cup-winning captain Neil Tovey.
Komphela was in temporary charge of the team after Mosimane was fired this month when a home draw with Botswana to open World Cup qualifying stretched South Africa's winless run to nine games.
But Igesund was undoubtedly the fans' favorite with his outstanding club record in South Africa. He is the only coach to lead four clubs to the country's Premier Soccer League title and was chosen after both men made presentations to SAFA's national executive committee on Saturday.
''It was not an easy decision as both coaches are well equipped to take Bafana Bafana forward,'' Nematandani. ''At the end of the day, it was a unanimous decision and we think the final verdict was in the best interest of the nation.''
Nematandani appealed for fans to give Igesund a chance to mold his team and restore confidence and not judge him on upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Poland.
South Africa failed to qualify for the last two African Cups and Mosminane lost supporters' confidence after Bafana Bafana embarrassingly celebrated a draw in their final qualifying game last year when they needed to win to make the continental finals.
Nematandani warned that if Igesund didn't meet performance targets, then he would be ''without a job.''
