Baxter turns Bafana into family business
Outrage over ‘qualified’ son puzzles coach
Stuart Baxter says he will be “massively disappointed and surprised” if there is a public backlash to him roping in his son, Lee Baxter, as goalkeeper coach for the squad for Bafana Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.
Lee – goalkeeper coach of Kaizer Chiefs, where he instructs Bafana’s No.1 Itumeleng Khune – has come into the squad for the Group E qualifier at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday as a replacement for Andre Arendse.
Baxter said Arendse, not a permanent national goalkeeper coach, had to withdraw because “he came in two days before we were going to assemble, and his wife had an operation and some complications, and he doesn’t feel he can be away from home”.
Baxter’s squad went from injury-depleted yesterday with the withdrawals of Bongani Zungu and Themba Zwane, to injury-ravaged with Hlompho Kekana pulling out and Lebogang Mothiba almost certainly out pending a scan arriving from his new Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.
Baxter’s decision to bring in Lee, who the coach had requested to have as goalkeeping coach when he was negotiating for the Bafana job in early 2017, but was turned down by SA Football Association, is guaranteed to raise eyebrows.
“I have to say that I will be massively both disappointed and surprised if there is any reaction whatsoever.
“Because Andre pulls out at the last minute, and Lee is the most qualified goalkeeper coach in the country, bar none.
“Lee has worked with me in Turkey, and at SuperSport, with the technical team including Joshua Smith [Bafana’s ex-SuperSport conditioning coach],” Baxter said.
“He’s the current coach of Itu [Khune], he has worked with Ronza [SA and SuperSport keeper Ronwen Williams]. And he knows probably half the squad.
“We don’t have time to go wandering around the country interviewing people and bringing [new] people in.
“So, for the good of the country, and for the good of this squad, then I don’t think [there should be a backlash].”
More important for Baxter is the issue of injuries.
The coach called up Orlando Pirates winger Vincent Pule for Zwane, SuperSport United’s Maphosa Modiba for Zungu and Sundowns’ Tiyani Mabunda for his teammate and midfield partner Kekana.
Lee is the most qualified goalkeeper coach in the country ... he’s the current coach of Itu [Khune]
Former Bafana Bafana captain Aaron “Mbazo” Mokoena has thrown his weight behind Stuart Baxter amid the Briton’s pressure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), to be hosted by Cameroon in June next year. Baxter is under immense strain to qualify for Afcon after failing to propel Bafana to the World Cup
‘ ‘ I have no doubt that he will take us to the next Afcon
in Russia. Mokoena has urged SA to support the national team mentor, saying he’s still the right man for the job.
“People must just support Baxter. I have no doubt that he will take us to the next Afcon. He is still the suitable man to lead Bafana and the only thing that can help is to support him,” Mokoena said at the Flava Yase Kasi Tournament in Pimville’s Nike Centre last week.
“I know that we should have qualified for the World Cup but we did not. What is important now is to take lessons from that and use them to go forward. Baxter proved himself at Chiefs and SuperSport [by winning trophies] that he has a winning mentality.”
Bafana are in the driving seat in Group E after beating Nigeria 2-0 away in their opening fixture of the qualifiers in June last year. In their second group match, Baxter’s troops face Libya at Moses Mabhida Stadium (3pm).
“I hope Baxter did enough study and analyses on Libya. North Africans like to be physical and the only weapon for us is skill. We need skilful players who will not be scared to take Libyan defence on. A player like Percy Tau will be vital there,” stated Mokoena, who is the only player to reach over 100 Bafana caps.