SAFA give Igesund the boot

SAFA president Danny Jordaan confirmed the news in Johannesburg on Monday after a lenghty meeting.

"The national executive committee (NEC) informed Gordon Igesund that his contract won't be renewed when it expires on the 31st August," Jordaan told a media conference at the SAFA headquarters on Monday.

The announcement follows a meeting on Saturday by the NEC regarding the future of the Bafana Bafana head coach, which was postponed to Monday, to allow Igesund time to make a formal report back on his two years in charge of the national team.

Igesund and Bafana returned on Saturday afternoon from Australasia, where the 57-year-old oversaw his final two games in charge, drawing 1-1 against Australia a week ago, and 0-0 against New Zealand in Auckland on Friday.

"His termination date remains at the end of August," Jordaan said.

"The process of finding a new coach will start after this press conference."

Igesund was on a two-year contract and was tasked with reaching the semi-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

"The committee gave Igesund the opportunity to respond and make a presentation which he did, to deal with all the elements which either assisted or hindered him in carrying out his responsibilities.

"The committee then retreated and discussed his future and then reconvened with Igesund."

Igesund was not present at the media conference that followed his meeting with the NEC.

Reports last week suggested Igesund would be replaced by former Bafana coach, Carlos Queiroz, who is currently in charge of the Iranian team taking part in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Other names bandied about were Nigeria's coach Stephen Keshi and current South African under-20 and under-23 coach Shakes Mashaba.

In Igesund's two years at the helm, he won three out of four SWC qualifying matches but, because Bafana had already played two qualifying matches before he was appointed - draws at home against Ethiopia and away against Botswana - the team did not progress out of the group stages.