The protracted search for a Bafana Bafana coach is finally over after the South African Football Association (Safa) named Stuart Baxter as Ephraim ‘‘Shakes” Mashaba’s successor on Thursday afternoon.
According to a statement issued by Safa on Thursday afternoon‚ Baxter will be officially unveiled by president Danny Jordaan when he returns to South Africa from CAF and FIFA commitments in Egypt.
‘‘The Supersport United coach will‚ meanwhile‚ continue to fulfil his coaching responsibilities at the club for the remaining four Absa Premiership fixtures as well as the Nedbank Cup and Confederations Cup‚” said the statement.
‘‘Safa and Supersport United have agreed to work together to ensure that Baxter gets time off post the final league match on 27 May to prepare Bafana Bafana for the upcoming AFCON match against Nigeria.”
This is Baxter’s second spell as Bafana coach — he coached the national team between 2004 and 2005.
But he quit the tough job in November 2005 after he failed to qualify the side for the 2006 Soccer World Cup.
He won 10 of his 23 games in charge of Bafana first time round‚ drawing six and losing seven.
He has since gone on to enjoy considerable domestic success‚ including two league championships in three years at Chiefs‚ as well as a Nedbank Cup victory with SuperSport last May.
The Bafana coaching seat has been vacant since Mashaba was sacked in December last year.
The combustible Mashaba was fired after he was found guilty on several charges‚ including gross misconduct and insubordination.
The former Bafana coach is challenging his dismissal and has taken his case to the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration.
Stuart Baxter named as new Bafana coach
According to a statement issued by Safa on Thursday afternoon‚ Baxter will be officially unveiled by president Danny Jordaan when he returns to South Africa from CAF and FIFA commitments in Egypt.
‘‘The Supersport United coach will‚ meanwhile‚ continue to fulfil his coaching responsibilities at the club for the remaining four Absa Premiership fixtures as well as the Nedbank Cup and Confederations Cup‚” said the statement.
‘‘Safa and Supersport United have agreed to work together to ensure that Baxter gets time off post the final league match on 27 May to prepare Bafana Bafana for the upcoming AFCON match against Nigeria.”
This is Baxter’s second spell as Bafana coach — he coached the national team between 2004 and 2005.
But he quit the tough job in November 2005 after he failed to qualify the side for the 2006 Soccer World Cup.
He won 10 of his 23 games in charge of Bafana first time round‚ drawing six and losing seven.
He has since gone on to enjoy considerable domestic success‚ including two league championships in three years at Chiefs‚ as well as a Nedbank Cup victory with SuperSport last May.
The Bafana coaching seat has been vacant since Mashaba was sacked in December last year.
The combustible Mashaba was fired after he was found guilty on several charges‚ including gross misconduct and insubordination.
The former Bafana coach is challenging his dismissal and has taken his case to the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration.
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