Shaun’s in the dark
BARTLETT: ARROWS OWNER HAS NOT COMMITTED HERSELF OVER CONTRACT
Coach’s ambition is to achieve goals and win trophies.
Shaun Bartlett doesn’t know if he will be coaching Golden Arrows next season despite guiding Abafana Bes’thende to the National First Division (NFD) title after just one season away from top-fl ight football.
Bartlett’s contract expires next month, and he admits he wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t keep him amid rumours that the club is looking at someone else to lead them in the Premiership.
“I am not too sure at this moment in time about my future to be honest,” Bartlett said. “My contract expires at the end of June. I wanted to get the season over and now we can meet with management and see what the way forward is.
“It’s not automatic that just because I got the club promoted I will get the contract. I am an ambitious coach. I want to achieve goals. I want to win trophies. I need to hear from management what their vision and goal is for the next five years and whether I am part of that vision.
“Those for me are the most important things than just signing a contract.”
It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary if Arrows hired another coach, such is the fickle nature of Bartlett’s job where there are no permanent heroes. He too understands that.
“We know the nature of South African football, unbelievable and surprising as it might be,” he said, fully realising he might not be there next season. “I got the job and opportunity from (Arrows boss) Miss Mato Madlala at the start of the season, I thank her for that because she believed I could do it.
“My contract was for one year, but I could have taken two or three years. The mandate was to get the club back into the PSL. We achieved that goal with one game to go.”
Madlala admitted that Bartlett and his technical team had done a good job, but refused to confirm whether he would lead the side to the elite league or not.
“He has done fantastically well, Shaun and his technical team, because it was a team effort,” Madlala said. “Contracts are twoway, I can say yes, it depends on our negotiations. I would say yes here and then when we negotiate we don’t agree on the finer terms. Then you guys will start calling me a liar, having said I am keeping Shaun and it doesn’t happen.”