Andrew Muchineripi : Soccer
South Africa realised the dream of every football nation this year by reaching the World Cup finals for the first time, but a key figure behind the success will not be in France come June 1998. Clive Barker resigned as national coach last weekend following a disastrous showing by Bafana Bafana in the Confederations Cup, where they lost to United Arab Emirates and a Uruguay team with nine youth players.
The South African Football Association (Safa) and Barker stressed at a Johannesburg International Airport media conference that the coach had taken the decision voluntarily.
Few involved with the game accept the official line, though, and Barker contradicted himself just a couple of hours later in Durban when he said someone had to take the blame for the Saudi Arabian debacle. The man who guided Bafana Bafana to glory in the 1996 African Nations Cup paid the price for poor recent results, with five losses in six matches, and rapidly deteriorating relations with all but the sycophantic section of the media.
Since succeeding Augusto Palacios in April 1994, Barker has achieved excellent results in many home matches against predominantly African opposition while Germany were held goolless and Brazil given a fright before winning a five-goal thriller.
This year the opposition became much tougher and many fixtures were staged away from FNB Stadium, where fanatical 80 000-plus crowds give South Africa a huge psychological advantage.
Barker entered 1997 with only four defeats in 30 matches and finished it with a further eight losses, seven inflicted by teams beyond Africa with United Arab Emirates providing the biggest shock. While Barker rounded on his critics, with Jomo Sono, Eddie Lewis and Terry Paine receiving special attention, the diminutive native of Durban was often his own worst enemy.
Why he dismissed Australia, the Czech Republic, Mexico, hosts Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay before the Confederations Cup and boldly predicted a Brazil-South Africa final remains a mystery. Each qualifier had finished first or second in a continental championship and logic dictated that far from being among the favourites, Bafana Bafana were the tournament outsiders with the United Arab Emirates.
A late equaliser against the Czechs, with Helman Mkhalele scoring one of the best goals of the event, created an illusion soon shattered as the Emirates snatched a 45-second lead and held it to the end.
Much was made of bad luck, highlighted by “Shoes” Moshoeu striking the upright from a few metres with only the goalkeeper to beat, while the fact that the Emirates could have been three goals ahead within 10 minutes was conveniently forgotten.
That result struck a raw nerve among the Safa hierarchy, notably chief executive officer Danny Jordaan, and it may well have been the moment when questions were asked about the suitability of Barker to lead Bafana Bafana in France.
When the Czechs struck six goals past the Emirates in the penultimate Group B match, Bafana Bafana tackled Uruguay needing a six-goal victory to overtake them in the race for second place. While the ridiculously patriotic SABC 2 pretended it was not an impossible dream (conceding defeat only when Uruguay went two goals ahead), the South Americans were never going to lose by such a wide margin even with nine youth players.
The South Americans regularly toyed with tired opponents and despite surrendering a two-goal advantage, won through a late goal after four South African defenders had tried to corner one Uruguayan near the touchline.
Barker decided to go 48 hours later, informing the players on the flight home, and their reaction was best summarised by midfielder Doctor Khumalo, who wondered whether someone was trying to sabotage the national team.
Khumalo and several other players, notably vice-captain Sizwe Motaung, Neil Tovey, Eric Tinkler and Shoes Moshoeu, have good reason to be concerned by the departure of a coach who served 45 months in the “hot seat”. A major criticism of Barker was that he relied almost exclusively on the 1996 African Nations Cup-winning team and seem determined to use most of them in the African Nations Cup and World Cup finals.
It was blind loyalty, with Shoes retaining his place despite one dismal performance after another, while Dumisa Ngobe warmed the bench and Thabo Mooki did not even make the squad.
Among the 20 players that travelled to Riyadh, only shaven-haired striker Philemon Masinga seems certain of a starting place in France, having emerged this year as the one genuine international-class Bafana Bafana player.
Relegation to No 3 goalkeeper at English Second Division club Fulham appears to have shattered the confidence of Andre Arendse, who faces a strong challenge from Brian Baloyi.
The back four were a shambles and lucky to escape with conceding only seven goals in three matches. Motaung was his usual uninspiring self with not even the captaincy jolting him from his slumber. Mark Fish often bordered on the reckless. One minute he was a centreback, the next a leftback, the next a midfielder. Once the darlin’ of the nation, he could soon find himself watching from the sidelines.
Tovey has often forced critics to swallow their own words in the past, but he never showed authority in Saudi Arabia and must take at least some of the blame for the Emirates goal. His dream of playing in France is fading fast.
While Lucas Radebe receives rave notices for his performances at English Premiership club Leeds United, he has battled with Bafana Bafana, perhaps due to crazy travel arrangements. Arriving the day of a match helps neither Rhoo nor his country.
Given that he constantly plays out of position on the left side of defence, judgment should be reserved on right-footed Willem Jackson, who was in and out of the team like a yo-yo.
The South African midfield was largely shambolic during a tournament won by Brazil with Khumalo injured early in the first match and taking no further part in the hectic schedule.
Ngobe did not live up to expectations, John Moeti looked jaded (one wonders why), Tinkler confirmed that he is not deserving of a place in the current line-up and Shoes was, well, Shoes.
While rumours that Saudi officials wanted to charge Moshoeu an entrance fee because they thought he was a spectator may be untrue, he might as well have sat in one of the stands.
Midfield lies at the heart of modern football and unless South Africa can improve dramatically in this area by employing all-round footballers, they face humiliation in Burkina Faso and France. The search for a striker to partner Masinga continues with Pollen Ndlanya joining Benni McCarthy as the biggest threats to the “tired and trusted” Shaun Bartlett and Mark Williams.
Bartlett got a long overdue axe following the home loss to Brazil while Williams made no impression in Saudi Arabia and wasted one glorious scoring opportunity against the United Arab Emirates.
With South Africa away to Namibia in the Southern Africa championship on January 24, a successor to Barker must be found quickly with the odds seemingly favouring a foreigner.
Looking at names already mentioned, Jo Bonfrere and Philippe Troussier look the best bets although the task ahead is enormous and will be mounted against a backdrop of naive fans, who believe success is a divine South African right.
No country has successfully defended the African title since 1965 and those who believe South Africa can conquer traditional giants like Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Italy in France are suffering from delusions of grandeur.
In favour of Dutchman Bonfrere is that he has worked successfully in Africa, guiding Nigeria to first place at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, although his poor record with Qatar proved he is no superman.
Troussier is no stranger to South Africa, having coached Kaizer Chiefs in 1994 with considerable success before “player power” forced him out. Interestingly, some of those players are now in the national squad. Should a foreigner get the nod, he will surely need local assistance and Jomo Sono is the obvious choice.
He was a great player. He is a good coach. Let us have Jo, Jomo and Eddie Lewis as team manager to ensure discipline (starting with a visit to the barber by Mr Fish.)