Gordon gets the boot
IT CAME as little surprise last night when the axe fell on Bafana coach Gordon Igesund - just days after his return from Australasia with the national team.
That trip, which resulted in draws against Fifa World Cup-bound Australia and New Zealand, had no bearing on Igesund's future, the South African Football Association's national executive committee had long made up its minds about the coach.
Safa president Danny Jordaan, flanked by his task team, would not immediately reveal who the association would hire to replace Igesund, and added that the nationality of the next Bafana coach would not matter.
"It's a national team and must achieve international success. We will speak to as many candidates as we can in trying to find a person who can rebuild this Bafana brand," said Jordaan, sending out a clear mandate even before Safa has picked a successor.
Former Bafana coach Carlos Quieroz and current Nigeria mentor Stephen Keshi, as well as Ruud Krol, who is out of a job after being sacked by a Tunisian side Esperance last month, are front-runners.
Quieroz and Keshi are off to the World Cup with Iran and the Super Eagles respectively, and Jordaan said an announcement would be made in mid-July. He added after last night's press conference that he, along with his task team, would not waste any time but hit the ground running in search of a new coach.
Igesund's tenure, which began in July 2012, included two mandates: taking South Africa to "at least" the semifinals of last year's Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup. The coach failed in both targets and has been skating on thin ice since, despite his contract only expiring on August 30.
"He gave us a presentation for an hour-and-a-half to explain what would have been some of his hindrances in trying to succeed with the national team. But at the end of the day, the members decided he would not be staying," said Jordaan.
In response to a question about why Igesund would not continue as head coach, Jordaan explained: "If you go to university and the requirement is to pass, but you fail, what more is there to say? The criteria was set out and you failed to achieve . so no, you did not deliver on the mandate."
Igesund took charge with Bafana having already played two draws in their World Cup qualifying campaign and vowed to remedy the situation and help the team to book their spot for the soccer showpiece in Brazil. SA reached the quarterfinals of the Nations Cup last year after losing to Mali on penalties.
Although he was cleared of any wrongdoing, the allegations that Igesund had instigated his players to demand bonuses on the eve of the African Nations Championship in January would have done little to enhance his chances of retaining the plum job.