‘Dog’ to bark for one more season
FUTURE: AFTER 42 YEARS BARKER TO CALL IT A DAY
Although Barker says anything can happen in soccer, the former Bafana coach says he is preparing for one last season.
He guided Bafana Bafana to their greatest triumph in a long and illustrious coaching career that has now stretched to 42 years. Cherubic 70-year-old Clive “The Dog” Barker, who was at the helm when South Africa triumphed in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 for what still remains the only time and has coached no fewer than seven PSL clubs, yesterday disclosed he was planning to “bark” for a last season. He is fi lling the role of Director of Development with Mpumalanga Black Aces after a surprising relocation from head coach midway through the current season.
“It’s an interesting job with 600 budding youngsters and a lot of talent to work with,” he added, “and I’m planning to see out my two-year contract with Aces in this role. After that I’m thinking of calling it a day.”
Barker, however, left the door open with one proviso.
“You can never say never in soccer,” he said. “There is nothing quite as satisfying for a coach as taking a club that has fallen from grace and rebuilding them to their former glory.
“If a challenge of this kind should come along, who knows? I might reconsider.”
And it is worth recording, perhaps, that Barker recently held discussions with relegation-embattled Moroka Swallows before the beleaguered Soweto giants appointed Craig Rosslee in a last ditch stand to remain in the Premier League.
A soccer writer latched the nickname of “The Dog” onto Barker because of the affinity with his surname and an encouraging, motivating barking at the players from his position on the coaching bench. He also became renowned for his imitation of an aeroplane in full fl ight while romping round the pitch with outstretched arms each time Bafana or one of his other teams scored a goal.
He was also more than a useful and dedicated midfielder with Durban City and Durban United in the old NFL during his playing career. He took up coaching in 1973 almost immediately after retiring in 1973 and at different times was at the helm of AmaZulu, Durban City, Zulu Royals, Bush Bucks, Manning Rangers, Santos, Bidvest Wits University and, of course, Aces teams.
He coached Bafana from 1994 until early in 1998 and apart from annexing the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations also helped guide South Africa into the World Cup Finals for the first time – although a string of indifferent results prior to the 1998 tournament in France resulted in him being replaced by Phillipe Troussier.
The talented, cosmopolitan Bush Bucks were rated among South Africa’s most cultured teams while winning the NSL title under Lawrence “Big Bear” Ngubane’s management and Barker’s coaching. Barker has also had something of a “love affair” with AmaZulu during his career – serving the club in different capacaties on no fewer than five occasions.
“It’s been quite a memorable and unforgetable fl ight,” he said, “and maybe time to make a final landing. But then maybe not.”