I want to throw a stone at people who think a local coach will do wonders for Bafana Bafana.

I want to throw a stone at people who think a local coach will do wonders for Bafana Bafana.

The answer is a big "no". We don't need a local mentor to be the head coach. I think Safa will be taking more than two steps backwards by employing a local coach to be the head coach.

At this juncture we need somebody of the same calibre as Carlos Alberto Pereira, somebody who has at one stage won a World Cup or who has at least taken a team to the final stages of a competition.

I know there are people who think that there is lot of talent here at home. For local clubs, yes there is talent but for international sporting events like the World Cup, one must be joking if names of people such as Shakes Mashaba, Trott Moloto and Jomo Sono are being mentioned.

I believe a combination of an international coach and a South African coach will build a formidable side that will face the likes of Argentina, Spain, England and Brazil.

Believe me, this combination will impart ideas on European and South African styles of play, like it has proved with Parreira and Pitso Mosimane.

Safa must cast its net wider and find a suitable coach, who will be assisted by Jairo Leal and Mosimane, period.

Safa's choice should not be clouded by Pereira's recommendation that Joel Santana, current coach of Brazilian club Flamengo, should be his automatic successor. Santana has limited international experience.

Lesley Moche,

Soshanguve