JOHANNESBURG - If social media comments are anything to go by, Safa have taken a step backwards by hiring a man who was in charge of the national team from 2004-2005, leaving after failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
But Stuart Baxter has no doubt matured.
His professionalism, work ethic and results have been there for all to see with his success at Kaizer Chiefs and progress he’s made at SuperSport United.
What are the odds that Stuart Baxter will be "released" with a rather large #SAFA payout 18 months from now? #ShakesMashaba #Pitso
— Leslie (@LeslieThoka) May 5, 2017
We can’t ignore that he hardly meets the criteria set out by his new employers, however. Safa said they want a coach who has previously managed to get a national team to a World Cup or Africa Cup of Nations. Baxter, although his knowledge of SA football is impeccable, doesn’t quite fit the profile.
The only way to silence the naysayers is to deliver qualification and there are some big matches coming up. Bafana are away to Nigeria in the 63-year-old’s first official assignment as national team coach, and then there are those back-to-back qualifiers against Cape Verde in August and September.
I don't understand why #StuartBaxter is hired to be Bafana Coach. PSL Club is completley defferent to #BafanaBafana
— Marvel-Kay (@Keaobaka_Maine) May 5, 2017
Not necessarily unfamiliar territory for Baxter, but the last time he was at that stage, he didn’t do enough to earn any admirers.
FAROUK KHAN:
“The process was lengthy, but we hope this is the right man for the job. I think Baxter’s knowledge of SA football gives him an advantage because the arrangement of him being at SuperSport until the end of the season and only then trying to prepare for the Nigeria game would be a disaster. He needs good people around him this time to succeed.”