Former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker has offered to help the South African Football Association (Safa) committee to find a new coach after head coach Stuart Baxter quit on Tuesday.
However, Barker — arguably the most successful Bafana coach after winning the 1996 African Cup of Nations — ruled himself out of taking over the national-team coaching duties on a temporary basis.
However, he said he would be available to assist in finding a new coach, if approached.
Since Baxter resigned, several coaches — including Supersport United’s Pitso Mosimane — have expressed interest to take over the position.
This follows Wednesday’s closed meetings involving Safa management and technical committees to discuss Baxter’s resignation and the appointment of a stand-in coach for the African Cup of Nations in Egypt in January.
Barker also lambasted the coaches who have put their names forward as candidates, saying they had no respect for the Bafana Bafana brand.
”Bafana Bafana is not a toy that everybody should demand,” he said. ”This is an important position which carries the prestige of elevating the standard of the football team of the country.”
Barker, now coach of Bush Bucks, appealed to Safa to consider appointing a local coach who would remain at the helm for a long term.
”Safa must headhunt the coach they want and not try to find a quick-fix solution, because that will take our football backwards,” he argued.
He also called on the new coach to be given powers to select his own technical staff, which should consist of local coaches who have proved their coaching abilities at club level.
Calling for Mosimane’s name to be seconded at national level, Barker appealed to the soccer body to desist from appointing coaches who have never won titles at club level.
”If you look at the national team’s head coaches and their assistants you will realise that they never won anything at club level. How can they be expected to win something for the country when they do not how success tastes like?”
Barker also called for individuals within the Bafana camp such as team manager Stanley ”Screamer” Tshabalala to resign to allow for a completely clean slate in the national set-up. — Sapa