Baxter prepared to pack bags if Bafana fail

Stuart Baxter stared down the barrel of a loaded gun on Wednesday and said he would quit his job as Bafana Bafana coach if the national team fail to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

A candid Baxter said that, contrary to popular opinion‚ it would not cost his South African Football Association (Safa) employers a lot of money to release him from a contract that runs until the end of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Baxter, who took over the job in May 2017, and his charges face considerable pressure – they must either beat or draw with Libya in March in a massive final qualifier if they are to secure a ticket to the continental showpiece in June.

‘‘If we do not qualify‚ certainly‚ certainly‚ I will tell [Safa] that ‘you had better make sure you really want me to carry on because I will walk if you want’‚” the Briton said.

‘‘And all this nonsense about it will cost them a fortune to get rid of me‚ you can ask the guy sitting next to me [Bafana team medic Dr Thulani Ngwenya] – it will not cost them a bloody fortune.

“It will never cost anybody a fortune.”

Baxter revealed that he had walked away with nothing when Safa axed him as Bafana coach in his first spell in November 2005 after failing to guide the team to the 2006 World Cup, when a rampant Ghana topped the pool instead.

‘‘I have only been sacked‚ I think – close to being sacked was here and that was when I left the last time‚” he said.

‘‘Do you know how much I got that time? I had two years left on my contract [and I got] zero rand.

‘‘I told the FA as we sat in the meeting there and I looked across the table and they said ‘coach your package’ and I said ‘my package‚ give it to the kids’ and I walked.

“So it will not cost them a fortune to sack me. It will not.”

He said he could still quit the job even if Bafana secure the result they need against Libya in March and qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.

‘‘Also‚ if I can’t do the job here‚ if I think that we are not moving forward at the pace we want because of certain things and I just can’t do it‚ I will also walk – even if they want me to stay‚” he said.

Bafana are in second place in Group E with nine points behind leaders Nigeria – who have already qualified – and Baxter maintained that he would weigh up his options regardless of the outcome in March.

‘‘Of course‚ of course‚ if we do not qualify‚ I will put my hat in there and I will say [to Safa] ‘listen‚ if you want me to go‚ I will go’‚” he said.

Libya‚ who must win to take second place in the group behind Nigeria and deny South Africa qualification‚ cannot host the game in the North African country because of a long-standing Fifa ban and must find a neutral venue.

They are yet to confirm the venue and date of the crunch encounter and the only thing Safa knows is that it will be played on the weekend of March 22 to 24.

The security situation in Libya is considered dangerous, with various rival factions and warlords battling for control over the country’s oil wealth.

The Libyans have hosted their home games in either Egypt or Tunisia in recent years.

Baxter also thanked the Premier Soccer League for agreeing to accommodate the national team by moving some league games ahead of this crucial match.