/ 19 June 2000

Moloto lashes out at Safa

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 10.45am.

TROTT Moloto, the normally taciturn coach, has lashed out against the South African Football Association (Safa) for recommendations made by a technical committee that he is not “up to scratch”.

Captain Lucas Radebe’s attack on him that he was inadequate to take Bafana Bafana to the highest level in soccer has led to him to point a finger at Safa and said that the national association was riddled with mismanagement.

He claims that Safa had not been helpful and threatened to “spill the beans” in the event he is fired.

According to Moloto, the poor performance of the team in the US was due to the players completing the season and going straight into the international arena without a break.

He pointed out that he did not have a full technical side for the States and he had travelled with a second-string side.

Moloto shockingly claims that had he been a white coach Safa would have treated him differently. He claimed that Safa ignored his performance during the African Cup of Nations where South Africa finished third.

A report by the technical committee which was leaked to City Press, has stated that Moloto should be replaced as a matter of urgency and a long-term coach be reinstated to take the country to the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan.

The report condemns Moloto’s coaching abilities as being “tactically naive” and showed “immaturity” in the 2-0 defeat by Nigeria. Moloto said he will not accept a short-term contract from Safa and they should rather fire him.