Publications
Partners
Cape Town - When Bafana Bafana were in Cape Town for their international friendly against Angola earlier this month, coach Shakes Mashaba opened up on the possibility of SAFA appointing a technical director.
That has since happened in the form of Neil Tovey, but Mashaba was quick to point out back on June 16 that a technical director would not have an impact in the national setup.
"People are talking about getting a technical director. Do we know the responsibilities and the functions of a technical director? Let me tell you now, it’s got nothing to do with the national team," Mashaba said then.
"The technical director has got nothing to do with the national teams. That is why it is going to be critical that if we get a technical director he shouldn’t be someone who still aspires to be a coach."
Mashaba, long involved in South Africa’s youth structures, has been outspoken about the issues surrounding development in the country. According to him, PSL coaches cannot be held responsible for embedding philosophies in players. That needs to start at a much lower level.
And, according to reports, that is precisely the work that Tovey will seek to do.
SAFA have confirmed to Times LIVE that Tovey’s role will see him focusing predominantly on ‘junior, regional and provincial’ levels while also working closely with the organisation’s coaching programme that is seeking to train 10 000 local coaches per year.
Tovey, Bafana's captain at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, has coached some big-name sides including mamelodi Sundowns, AmaZulu, Hellenic and Mpumalanga Black Aces.
