CAPE TOWN, January 1 (ANA) – The South African Football Association (SAFA) will not be hurried into appointing a new Bafana Bafana head coach and want to ensure the next man in the hot-seat is ‘around for longer’.
The position is currently vacant after the firing of Shakes Mashaba three days before Christmas when he was found guilty of professional misconduct, gross insubordination and violation of the federation’s communications policy. This followed the comments he made – basically accusing his bosses of a lack of support – after a 2-1 win over Senegal in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on November 12.
The timing of Mashaba’s dismissal is by no means bad – Bafana Bafana’s next important match, a World Cup qualifier, is away to Cape Verde on August 28. The incoming coach should have more than six months to settle in and will take charge with South Africa currently tied at the top of the standings with Burkina Faso on four points from two games.
With World Cup participation looking a possibility at this point, and with qualification for the 2019 African Cup of Nations also to consider, SAFA chief executive officer Dennis Mumble says the organization are determined to get the right man into the Bafana hot-seat and want ensure that his tenure is a substantial one; not since Clive Barker’s reign between 1994 and 1997 has a coach enjoyed more than two years at the helm.
“We will not rush to make an (immediate) appointment and will meet towards the end of next week to plan a way forward. Given lessons we have learnt‚ we will tighten things up so that the new coach is around for longer‚” Mumble told The Sowetan.
The last four national team coaches – Mashaba, Gordon Igesund, Steve Komphela (caretaker) and Pitso Mosimane – were all South African-born. Before that, four of five Bafana coaches were foreigners.
Sundowns tactician Mosimane, former Ajax and Pirates coach Roger De Sa, as well as Dutchman Ruud Krol, who enjoyed success at Pirates, are some of the names being touted for the vacant position.
According to Mumble, SAFA have no preference with regards to the next coach’s nationality.
“It would be nice if we could find a South African‚ but we cannot exclude anyone (who meets all the requirements) because we are looking for the best coach available‚” he said.
“If that person happens to be a South African‚ we will go with that coach. If it is a foreign‚ we will go with that coach.” – African News Agency (ANA).
