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Posters these past few days blazed the news 'round the town that "SAFA's Boss Has Resigned".
Some viewing the pronouncement digested it almost with a degree of disbelief. But the vast majority were left wondering over the shock and surprise pronouncement whether the long-standing, omnipotent, but also often under pressure Danny Jordaan had indeed relinquished an often controversial role at the helm of South African soccer's controlling body.
The reason? There is only ONE boss at SAFA - and no one can be of any doubt who calls the tune and runs the show in his own distinctive, canny image in the organisation.
And, as it turned out, it was not "The Boss" but relatively low-profiled Gay Mokoena who was completing a brief tenure as acting CEO of SAFA.
This, however, does not eliminate speculation over the situation in which Jordaan finds himself, with the hellish coronavirus pandemic and its implications only adding to the delicate problems and challenges previously facing SAFA and its president.
Heading the critical situation is SAFA’s financial position after the loss of some key sponsorships and a lack of enterprise in funding the country's vast soccer undertakings at various levels - even if PR head Dominic Chimhavi and Overberg president Tankiso Modipa have denied reports of a pending spate of administrative retrenchment in the organisation.
Bafana's limited success since Jordaan came to the helm has also aroused a good deal of criticism, even if a prolific publicity machine has wasted no opportunity at portraying the president in a glowing light.
And while South Africa has achieved a degree of success below the level of the country's flagship team, a much-touted "Vision 2022" programme has hardly produced what was promised - and the virus epidemic will only make it a great deal more difficult to bring to fruition the objectives before the proclaimed date.
What Jordaan has done well is to ward off a whole host of challengers to his position that have included such renowned personalities as former Bafana captain Lucas Radebe and the PSL's all-powerful "Iron Duke" chairperson, Irvin Khoza.
But the president's decision to accept the mayoral role of Port Elizabeth while still running SAFA aroused a good deal of criticism and almost proved his downfall - with the city's voters forcing him out of politics and ironically rebounding in his favour when his critics were calling on him to relinquish one of his two high-profiled positions.
So the Jordaan followers are able to heave a sigh of relief after discovering the recent departure was not related to their man - but, to be sure, it will not stop the wolves of change from howling at the door!
