Former Bafana coach Barker - Hunt is still my man
Championship-winning former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker is sticking with his first choice for the vacant national coaching job - Gavin Hunt.
Barker feels the lengthy delay in naming Shakes Mashaba's
successor could be related to the current Absa Premiership title race.
Although he is leaning towards Hunt, he says SuperSport United manager Stuart Baxter remains a strong contender.
"I think with Hunt in a very strong position to win the league with Bidvest Wits, he may have even asked for a delay if he was in fact approached,” says Barker.
In contrast, Baxter's SuperSport United outfit went through a marked dip in form once the club announced that SAFA were welcome to enter into negotiations with the Englishman and they now appear to be title also-rans.
"All around I am still leaning towards Gavin (Hunt) and I feel if Bidvest Wits win the league, he might well make himself available for the position," adds Barker.
Whether designed as a ploy to lead the media way off track or not, Hunt has consistently distanced himself from the position and declared that he is not interested at all in applying.
But clearly Hunt would have an ace card to play if he guides Wits to the title and it may even increase his bargaining power, so the tough-talking coach is understandably guarded about any prospect of taking over arguably the hottest potato job in South African sport.
All indications are that the preferred candidate, who may have already penned a deal with SAFA for all we know, is definitely involved in local soccer and has requested to only take the reins once the PSL season had been concluded.
"I certainly hope it's for these sound reasons mentioned that there has been such a lengthy delay," says Barker.
“But I do think it has dragged on for far too long with important assignments coming up for the national team."
Barker feels SAFA lost out on an opportunity to move swiftly when Mashaba took his case to the CCMA for arbitration, but admits that the did make notable gains under caretaker coach Owen da Gama.
For now though, Bafana Bafana are staring at one of their most important years for a long time in terms of both continental and World Cup qualification. It can surely only be counter-productive for the process to drag on any longer.
Even the so-called technical committee tasked with sourcing and interviewing candidates appear to be in the dark.
But to be fair, maybe there is a very good reason why the process seems to have ground to a halt.
SAFA -- it's over to you!
LISTEN: Trevor Cramer talks to former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker