Baxter still up for Bafana job
STUART Baxter remains very much in the race for the Bafana Bafana coaching job after his representatives did not deny his interest in the position that became vacant after Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba was sacked last month.
Baxter’s agent Steven Kapulschnik did not rule his client out of the running for the post but said the Englishman’s contract with current employers SuperSport United should be respected.
TMG revealed on Thursday that Baxter was among the front-runners for the post he previously filled between 2004 and 2005.
“Stuart has worked with three different national associations in the past and he loves South Africa‚ that’s why he is currently working here‚” Kapulschnik said.
“But he is contracted to SuperSport United and that’s where we stand.”
Baxter is by no means the only name in the hat for the position vacated by Mashaba last month but is seen as a frontrunner by insiders close to the decision-making process.
His ability to hit the ground running with his extensive knowledge of the mechanisms of South African football and the players‚ both locally and guide the team to the 2006 World Cup as a rampant Ghana topped the pool instead.
Ironically‚ that campaign also included home and away matches against the Cape Verde Islands‚ both won by Bafana‚ which also happens to be their next assignment in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia in late August and September.
But the first assignment for the new national team coach is a likely friendly in the Fifa dates in March‚ followed by the start of the 2019 African Nations Cup qualifiers in June‚ with South Africa away in Nigeria at the start of their pool campaign.
Libya and Seychelles are the other two teams in the pool.
Baxter won 10 of his 23 games in charge of Bafana first time around‚ drawing six and losing seven.
That included a notable 2-1 success over a strong Mexico side in the Gold Cup in the US‚ which remains one of South Africa’s better results since readmission to international football in 1992.
The Bafana post became vacant when Mashaba was fired after being found guilty of several charges‚ including gross misconduct and insubordination.
Mashaba is challenging his dismissal through the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration. — TMG