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Great choice, Safa
| DATE: 03 July 2012 |
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| BY: Sias Du Plessis |
Common sense has prevailed and the South African Football Association has finally picked the right man for the Bafana Bafana job.
The most successful coach in the history of the Premier Soccer League has been tasked with the job of seeing the national football team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and more importantly the semifinals of the African Cup of Nations next year.
Gordon Igesund is already under pressure, considering that many would liked to have seen Steve Komphela take the reigns, but when it comes to records and achievements speaking for themselves, Igesund is the only locally based coach capable of working miracles with a team, and Bafana need nothing short of a miracle to get themselves back on track.
Former Moroka Swallows assistant coach, Manchester United stalwart and advisor to the South African Football Association (Safa), the late and great Eddie Lewis once told me that Igesund was being interviewed for the job 10 years ago and was about to be named the next coach when political interference denied the talented Igesund from taking charge, something that Safa has regretted agreeing to, as Bafana have done nothing since the 1996 African Cup of Nations.
This time Safa have made the right decision and although setting the performance clauses very high, they are expected from a side that boasts players in some of the top leagues in the world. Backing Igesund shows that Safa have listened for once and opted for someone who has a proven track record in local football. The amount of money wasted on the Brazilians, Frenchmen and others must be in excess of millions of rands, all on people who knew football but did not understand how local football worked. Igesund has worked wonders with Moroka Swallows last season and once again almost nabbed a fifth league title.
But Igesund is just a man and at the end of the day he can only prepare the players for the 90 minutes. When Bafana get on the park, they will need to execute that training. So despite the right coach being put in charge, his responsibility is to pick the players who will deliver for him and make the nation proud. Good luck Gordon!
