Never one to mince his words, multi-honoured Highlands, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates coach Joe Frickleton says even the celebrated Jose Mourinho could not save Bafana Bafana — or his own skin if he came to South Africa to coach the national team.
”Mourinho might be at the top of the list of world soccer coaches,” said the former Highlands Park ”iron man” midfielder in a scathing attack on the South African soccer administration and general environment, ”but guiding Porto to the European Championship and Chelsea to the English Premiership title is a piece of cake compared to winning honours with Bafana.
”The only thing the poor coach in charge of Bafana is sure to collect,” added the outspoken Scot, ”is a barrage of knives in his back from misguided officials and members of the media who know less about the game than a char lady.”
And the outspoken Scot says he is not intent on defending current Bafana coach Stuart Baxter either.
”In fact, I don’t know enough about the man to pass judgement on him,” said Frickleton. ”But I find it significant that amid all his detractors, the Bafana players are full of praise for their coach.”
”With Safa [the South African Football Association] abounding with egomaniacs who know little about the game and are mainly interested in seeing their names in bright lights, the Bafana coach starts with two strikes against him from the outset.
”And with the hounds baying for his dismissal almost from the time he takes up his post, strike three is little more than a formality.
”It’s a rough and tough for any coach,” said the man who helped Chiefs reap a record five titles in one season. ”Talk about jumping into the lion’s den. Jumping into the lion’s den is nothing compared to squaring up to the Bafana man-eaters.”
Baxter, meanwhile, has reiterated he remains undecided about fulfilling a contract as Bafana coach that extends until the middle of 2006 — and plans to have a meeting with Safa officials within the next week to thrash out the issue.
”I’d love to stay on,” he says, ”because this is a great country and there is a great potential here for soccer.
”But it has to be in the right environment and with the level of support I was promised in my contract.” — Sapa