Barker urges SAFA to go local
"Our local coaches have done well for the national team."
Mpumalanga Black Aces coach Clive Barker has called on the South African Football Association to appoint a local coach for the soon-to-be vacant Bafana Bafana position.
Current coach Gordon Igesund has been notified that his contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of August and a number of international and local coaches have already been linked with the post.
Barker, who led Bafana Bafana to the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations title before securing a spot in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, believes local coaches have traditionally done well when given an opportunity to coach the national team.
“If you look at the stats you would see that our local coaches have done well for the national team,” Barker told Goal.
“We had high profile coaches from different countries in the past but they couldn’t get the best out of our players.
“We had (Joel) Santana and (Carlos Alberto) Perreira, but we still couldn’t do well. Our record as local coaches is better compared to when we had foreign coaches.
“Hence, I think another local coach should be given a chance to continue where Igesund left off. Probably not me.”
Barker then singled out former Bafana Bafana coach and current South African national Under-20 team Ephraim Mashaba as his favourite to take over the hot seat.
“It’s difficult to come up with names (for the job), because we have too many local coaches who are capable,” he added.
“But if you were to point a gun at me I would definitely say Shakes Mashaba. He’s got what it takes to take us to Morocco and to the next FIFA World Cup.”
