SPORTS Minister Ngconde Balfour says he wants Jomo Sono and Gordon Igesund to patch up their row for the good of South African soccer.
Igesund this week withdrew as technical adviser to South Africa’s World cup team after Bafana Bafana caretaker coach Sono criticised his coaching style.
Balfour told journalists in Cape Town that he spoke to Sono on Friday morning about Igesund, whose team Santos are this year’s Premier League champions.
He said he had told Sono he should try to harness all resources, especially expertise, ”so that we can… move forward in one step to attack, and to make sure that we sail through to the semi-finals of the World Cup.
”He saw my point when I said the best thing would have been for the two of them to sit together, iron out any miscommunication that is there, and then move together to make Bafana Bafana the winning team that we want it to be.”
He said he had ”insisted” that South Africa did not need any more negative publicity.
”On the contrary we need everyone in this country to be fully behind the team.”
Balfour said he would follow up his phone call to Sono with one to Igesund.
”You would like to see a situation where a winning coach like Gordon (is) utilised for the World Cup journey, because he’s got experience.” ? Sapa