‘Why they call me Bra Shakes’ – Shakes Mashaba
To this day, Shakes Mashaba boasts the highest win ratio among Bafana Bafana coaches.
Shakes Mashaba is widely regarded as one of the best football coaches in South Africa.
He achieved significant success with both Bafana Bafana, and the South African U23 team. At 54 years old, he is still celebrated for his contributions to South African football, particularly in the youth systems.
To this day, Mashaba boasts the highest win ratio among Bafana Bafana coaches. Throughout his two successful stints with the national team, the 73-year-old has never completed a contract, yet he maintains a remarkable win ratio of 55% across the 58 matches he managed.
Shakes Mashaba led Bafana to the 2015 AFCON unbeaten
Mashaba’s temperament and attitude towards the media often contributed to his challenges, especially later in his coaching career. In an interview with Kick-Off last year, he explained the origins of his nickname, ‘Bra Shakes.’
Having left Pirates in the 70s, Shakes Mashaba joined Moroka Swallows and earned the nickname
“There was this gentleman who worked for Smirnoff, Bra Shasha, he was the rep. He used to play central defence in the senior team. Eventually, they called him Shakes,” Mashaba told Kick-Off.
“When he was in possession off the ball, he would do all these things (shaking his body), so now as I grew up, I would play in his position and I will always say to my friends I’m Bra Shasha. And I would also do things of shaking my body.”
“And that’s how I got the name and it stuck up to today,” he said.
Shakes Mashaba remains one of the most successful Bafana coaches alongside the likes of Clive Barker and Hugo Broos.
Where do you rate Bra Shakes amongst the best local coaches?
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