Just five coaches remain in the race to replace Shakes Mashaba as the South Africa national team coach, according to reports in local media on Tuesday.

According to Times Media, backed up by KickOff, the shortlist for the coaching position of Bafana Bafana has been cut to a handful of candidates.

Fresh off 2017 African Nations Cup success with Cameroon Hugo Broos is the first name mentioned on the list. Joining Broos, is African specialist and two-time AFCON winner Herve Renard. Despite a lack of African experience,  former England manager Roy Hodgson also has his name in the running, if local reports are to be believed.

Safa are reportedly looking at two coaches who have already managed the side with Carlos Queiroz and Stuart Baxter rounding off the list.

Queiroz is out of work after leaving his post as head coach of Iran in January. The Portuguese mentor is one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most famous assistants and was hired by Safa in October 2000 but left in March 2002 after 24 games in charge. His record as national team coach finished with a 41% win record.

The British manager was in charge of Bafana during 2004 and 2005 but left after he failed to ensure qualification for the 2006 World Cup. His record stands at 10 wins and six draws from 23 matches.

More recently, Baxter guided Kaizer Chiefs to the league and cup double in 2014-15 before taking up a job at Genclerbirligi in Turkey. He was sacked after just two matches but quickly found himself back in the PSL with SuperSport United, where he has turned them into title challengers after luring a number of ex-Chiefs players to Matsatsantsa.

SAFA CEO Dennis Mumble told KickOff that no candidate has been approached for an interview with formalities still being finalised.

Bafana could have a new coach by the end of the month with the team set for a bumper 2017 starting with Chan qualifiers in March.