The man who will coach Bafana Bafana at the 2010 Fifa World Cup will only be announced after this year’s World Cup in Germany.
An interim coach will be announced in April to guide the national team to the Cosafa Cup, according to South African Football Association (Safa) president Molefi Oliphant.
”In mid April we will know who the coach for the Cosafa Cup will be. On February 27 Sturu Pasiya — chairperson of Safa’s technical committee — indicated that to me. As for a long-term coach to take the team to the World Cup in 2010, we will probably announce a candidate after this year’s World Cup,” said Oliphant on Thursday.
Oliphant all but ruled out the possibility of appointing a South African coach to lead Bafana Bafana. Safa are hell-bent on getting a coach with extensive international experience and this is perhaps the reason why the federation is seemingly only interested in negotiating after the Germany showpiece.
Oliphant also did not rule out a high-profile European coach taking the position.
Danny Jordaan, CEO of the organising committee for the 2010 World Cup, was quoted by the BBC as saying that incumbent England coach Sven Goran-Eriksson would be a suitable candidate.
”If you want good things in life, one must be prepared to pay,” Oliphant said.
However Safa could be swimming against the tide as the likes of Eriksson and current Australian and PSV coach Guus Hiddink come with heavy price tags.
”It will be our task to go out there and get the money. But it also depends on the negotiations the technical committee have regarding the salary” said Oliphant.
Oliphant also played down speculation that the national team could be administered as a separate entity of Safa.
”We have a six member committee which will give Safa’s executive committee recommendations on the management of Bafana going forward. All over the world the national team is the responsibility of the federation and we aren’t going to do things differently,” said Oliphant. – Sapa