WHEN Safa employed Gordon Igesund as Bafana Bafana coach last year, he was given a clear mandate - reach the 2013 Afcon semifinals and qualify for the 2014 Fifa World Cup finals in Brazil.

Igesund has failed the testand Safa will decide on his future at the end of this month.

During the Afcon finals earlier this year, the 1996 winners of this tournament were eliminated in the first round.

As if that was not bad enough, Bafana Bafana saw their World Cup dream going up in smoke after losing 2-1 to Ethiopia - who at the beginning of the tournament were regarded as the weakest team in Group A - in Addis Ababa on Sunday. Bafana may have been thrown a lifeline, however, with news that Ethiopia may be docked points for featuring an ineligible player in an earlier qualifier.

"My mandate was to qualify the team for the World Cup and I didn't do that, so I will have to wait and see what will happen as it is no longer in my hands," Igesund said yesterday.

While South Africans are divided on the coach's future, former Bafana Bafana manager Sipho Nkumane wants Igesund to be retained.

"It's unfortunate he started a bit late [Igesund was not with Bafana at the start of their campaign]. Anyway, it's up to Safa's committee."