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.
