Sunday | June 11, 2023

Former South Africa’s senior men’s soccer team Cliver Barker passed on yesterday after a long illness.

According to EWN, Barker died from Lewy body dementia (LBD) which “affects a person’s ability to work”. Dubbed “The Dog”, Barker is the only SA coach to ever win the African Confederation Cup in 1996 held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The iconic Durban-born SA’s greatest coached Amazulu, Santos Cape Town, Manning Rangers, Bush Bucks, Bidvest Wits and Mpumalanga Black Aces among other clubs in the country. 

Although he was no longer at the helm, Barker’s marvelous work propelled Bafana Bafana (SA) to its first Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in 1998 staged in France.

The failure by the South African Football Association (SAFA) to retain Clive Barker’s services petrified many citizens across the expanse of the footballing nation. Perhaps it may go down as one of the blemishes in SAFA’s custodianship of the beautiful game in the land, many observed.

Barker stepped down in 1997 after bad performance in the Confederation Cup, a forerunner to the global showpiece [World Cup). Confirming to Marawa TV hosted by Robert Marawa, Barker stated that he resigned on his own accord. Even though there was a bit of pressure, he reiterated that he should have held onto his job before the 1998 World Cup.

Nevertheless, the 1996 continental triumph remains Barker’s sterling work in South Africa. His legendary coaching acumen is the very foundation of the growth and development of the professionalization of soccer as a sport.