Barker: Pick local Bafana coach

Johannesburg - Mpumalanga Black Aces head coach Clive Barker called on his former employers at the South African Football Association to consider a local coach for the soon to be vacant Bafana Bafana position.

According to the Football411 website, Barker remains the only Bafana coach to deliver an international trophy, after guiding the national team to the Africa Cup of Nations podium on home soil in 1996.

Gordon Igesund, who was informed that his contract would not be renewed, was the ninth South African coach out of the 17 that have been hired since 1992.

With the search for a replacement set to begin, 69-year-old Barker would like to see a local man in charge of the side.

"If you look at the stats you would see that our local coaches have done well for the national team," the Aces coach told Goal.

"We had high profile coaches from different countries in the past but they couldn't get the best out of our players.

"We had Santana and Perreira, but we still couldn't do well. Our record (as local coaches) is better compared to when we had foreign coaches.

"Hence, I think another local coach should be given a chance to continue where Igesund left off. Probably not me."

He added: "It's difficult to come up with names (for the job), because we have too many local coaches who are capable.

"But if you were to point a gun at me I would definitely say Shakes Mashaba. He's got what it takes to take us to Morocco and to the next FIFA World Cup."