Publications
Partners
Stuart Baxter’s departure as the national football team’s coach on Friday did not come as a complete surprise as the writing was on the wall after Bafana Bafana’s uninspiring performances at Afcon last month.
But is he the only one who should bite the dust as Safa goes back to the drawing board?
Despite Bafana going all the way to the quarterfinals, where they narrowly lost to Nigeria, Baxter was roundly criticised for his conservative tactics. Bafana found the going tough when they lost to Ivory Coast and Morocco, and narrowly beat Namibia in the group stages.
South Africa needed favours from other groups to secure a place in the Last 16 and sneaked through as one of the four third-best-placed teams.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, they knocked out host and favourites Egypt in the Last 16, which turned out to be Bafana’s best Afcon performance. Then they lost to the Super Eagles in the Last 8.
After taking a few days of leave to cool off, Baxter eventually decided to call it quits and vacate the seat he has occupied since June 2017.
But does his departure solve the South African football crisis?
Coaches have come and gone at Bafana Bafana and they have all pointed fingers at the administration, yet nothing has so far happened to the powers that be.
Isn’t it time for the national football governing body to do some introspection and for once take the blame for the fact that the national teams are faltering?
Bafana did not get the best possible preparation schedule ahead of Afcon, and didn’t even play one proper friendly match. Safa is to blame for this.
As much as it is always the coach’s head on the block, the administration should also take responsibility for the national team’s downfall.
Danny Jordaan and co at Safa House can take the lead from those in the Egyptian Football Association – they resigned after the team’s loss to Bafana.
