Bax for SA? Let it be now or never
Finally, Bafana Bafana’s long search for a coach seems to be drawing to a close.
The SA Football Association should soon conclude talks with Stuart Baxter about him returning to the national coach’s position.
While we are glad there seems to be finality in the offing, we still have some questions on this long-drawn out saga.
The most obvious question is why, after three months, did Safa settle for Baxter when they could have cast their net wider?
After all, Baxter has had a stint with the national team (from 20042005), and he was hardly convincing in the national post.
We remember that under him Bafana failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup after losing twice to Ghana in the qualifiers.
We accept that Baxter has somewhat repaired his image after returning to the country as Kaizer Chiefs coach in 2012, winning four trophies with the club, and has also shown his competence at SuperSport United, who are in the title race and won last year’s Nedbank Cup under the Briton.
But as we all know, club football is way different to the demands of international football, and here Baxter was found horribly wanting.
He twice failed to advance further than the second round with Chiefs in the CAF Champions League, triggering questions about his commitment to conquering the continent.
One of Baxter’s conditions for taking up the job is that he be allowed to finish the season with SuperSport. We urge Safa to reject this. Bafana have a tough few months ahead, notably an epic Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Nigeria in June. We need a coach now. It is enough that our national team has been without a manager since December 22, when Shakes Mashaba was shown the door.
To now hire a coach who will only be available in two months’ time would be self-defeating.
Safa should tell Baxter that he should be prepared to take over immediately, and let SuperSport find a replacement for him.
Baxter has also reportedly made some puzzling demands regarding his backroom staff, including that his son Lee be hired as goalkeeper coach. The coach has rejected the claim as nonsense. Safa, too, would be advised to reject this suggestion.
We can’t have a situation where the national team is used as a family hiring agency, and we are happy to hear Baxter distancing himself from the allegation.
As Safa prepare to finalise the contract with him, we are aware that the jury is still out on Baxter’s ability to turn Bafana around. Despite our misgivings, we’ll give him all the support he will need.