Andrew Muchineripi
The often-criticised South African Football Association (Safa) has finally made a move on the Bafana Bafana coaching front and it could pave the way for a brighter future.
Much-maligned coach Trott Moloto takes one step down the ladder to senior assistant coach and Carlos Alberto Parreira or Clemens Westerhof takes charge under the title of team manager. Jo Bonfrere, the Dutch coach in charge of Nigeria, dropped out of the running in midweek, saying he had a contract to honour with the Super Eagles and was not available.
Let us hope Parreira is available and Safa can afford the six-figure salary he will demand because this humble scribe does not believe Westerhof is the answer to our problems.
While the Brazilian led his country to success in the 1994 World Cup, defeating Italy on penalties after a goalless, soulless final, the Dutchman has achieved little since quitting Nigeria six years ago. To this day debates rage as to whether Westerhof or assistant Bonfrere was the real mastermind behind the rise of the Eagles to win the 1994 African Nations Cup and qualify for the World Cup the same year.
He coached Sundowns without winning a trophy and had to flee Atteridgeville in the back of a police van after his team crashed 4-0 to Free State Stars in a BP Top 8 semifinal.
Westerhof later joined Egyptian club Ismailia without making an impact, and after much hype when he took over Zimbabwe last year, had little to show when he parted company with the Zimbabweans this week.
Whether he resigned or was fired depends on who you speak to. Zimbabwe Football Association vice-chair Vincent Pamire said he got the boot due to a series of poor results culminating in a 3-0 World Cup thrashing by Guinea.
Westerhof, understandably, sang a different tune, saying he quit due to “unfavourable working conditions”. A case, perhaps, of jumping into the sea before being pushed overboard.
When Safa announced its coaching overhaul it stressed that the new man must act as an adviser, educator and teacher. Sounds more like a job for Parreira than Westerhof.
For Moloto this is surely a win-win situation as he remains part of the senior national squad set-up while working with a vastly more experienced coach aware of the latest methods.
My main concern about Westerhof is that he has spent too long away from Europe, the hub of modern football – and if he was any good how come he is not working somewhere on that continent?
Media colleagues from Zimbabwe assure me smooth-talking Westerhof earned R200 000 a month, so undoubtedly he will be seeking more from comparatively wealthy South Africa. But while the Safa bank balance may be in the black, I fear they may battle to justify paying that sort of money to a coach not considered good enough for a weaker neighbouring football nation.
Zimbabwe supporters became so angry with Westerhof that hundreds of them braved mid- winter cold to gather at Harare airport when the conquered national squad returned from Conakry. Perhaps working on “intelligence”, Westerhof opted to fly in ahead of his squad and dodged the wrath of a nation.
Parreira was in charge of Saudi Arabia at the 1998 World Cup only to be fired before they drew 2-2 with South Africa in a first- round match that signalled the end of the World Cup for both countries. Despite not enjoying much success with several Brazilian clubs since, Parreira certainly remains a much better bet for South Africa as he will instil European discipline and South American flair.
No matter who is chosen, however, Moloto will be in charge for two clashes with Zimbabwe – the World Cup qualifier in Harare on July 9 and the Castle Cup Southern Africa championship semifinal on July 29 in Port Elizabeth.
Never having been an unreasonable critic of Moloto, I applaud Safa for their decision and Moloto for swallowing his pride and agreeing to carry on. In the long term, he has much to gain.