The Southern Times

Now Bafana Bafana Need Clive Barker

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

Cape Town – The South African Football Association (SAFA) must now re-hire Clive Barker to coach Bafana Bafana.

This is no time for SAFA to try things out if Bafana Bafana are to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Having failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2017, Bafana Bafana now need the best person that has ever coached them. And that person is Clive Barker.

After a successful spell as the head coach of the South Africa’s senior soccer men’s team since early 1994 till December 1997, a few months before defending his 1996 African Nations Cup glory on home-soil, Barker was unceremoniously axed after the team’s early exist in the Confederations Cup held in Saudi Arabia.

Bafana Bafana had qualified to play in the inter-continental tournament due to them being African Champions in 1996.

If Barker had stayed on, he would have been the first coach to coach Bafana Bafana to the 1998 Soccer Wold Cup in France. Barker had qualified South Africa to the world’s greatest show.

But what is now clear is that Bafana Bafana is far away from being No 1 in Africa and No 16 world, which they had achieved under Barker.

Also in 1996, under Barker, FIFA bestowed Bafana Bafana with an international award as the most improved team, a Best Mover of the Year.

All the other coaches have not achieved anything close to what Barker achieved.

Barker was a professional footballer in the 1960s, playing for Durban City and Durban United having made his debut at the age of 17. He had a trial with Leicester City, but a serious knee injury quickly ended his career.

“The Dog”, as he is nicknamed, became a manager in the 1970s, coaching numerous clubs in South Africa, including Durban City, Manning Rangers, AmaZulu (Zulu Royals) and Santos Cape Town. In the 1980s, he won championships with various teams.

During his club career, he won two league championships and two league cups. He was one of the first white managers in the South African league.

In 2013, Barker took Wits University to forth spot of South Africa’s highest league the PSL. He has won numerous awards/honours and other many accolades.

Today, Bafana Bafana is 23 years old and is ranked around No 17 in Africa and 72 in the world.  Clearly Barker was the best thing to have happened to Bafana Bafana and probably to South African soccer generally.

SAFA must do South Africa a huge favour and return Barker to coach Bafana Bafana.

Shakes Mashaba can be given another portfolio within the technical department. However, if Clive Barker had to come back he would need to be given the right to choose his assistance coach and technical support.