Safa Cape Town’s Academy side has since 2022 been given a spot at the u.19 Bayhill Premier Cup – and the selection of the head coach remains a contentious and debatable topic.
One of the reasons is that this is the biggest tournament on the African continent and everyone wants to be a part of this spectacle played at the Erica Park Sport Complex in Belhar over the Easter weekend.
The finals are scheduled for the Athlone Stadium on Easter Monday. Last year strong conditions were set when a ‘quota system’ was introduced to apparently ensure ‘fairness.’ Coupled with that, coaches are allowed a maximum of only two years after which they have to step down and make way for others.
Roger Fortune, Shakes Mangaliso and Goodwin Lewis were the previous coaches who had the opportunity to coach the region’s side.
Safa CT Technical Director, Boebie Solomons (pictured), reiterated that the candidate should have the overall package.
“It must obviously be a stable person and level-headed individual that is not affected by things other than football,” Solomons stated to No Bones with Jones. “He must also have the credibility or potential to achieve with signs shown at club level. He should also possess a Caf C, at least,” Solomons added.
Meanwhile Safa CT’s head of the coaches Aslam Petersen and his team are on the hunt again for the suitable candidate. This should transpire within the coming week as the initial set of trials is scheduled for next week.
No Bones with Jones can confirm that two candidates, Msekeli Mvalo and Marcelino Frans we already approached of which both declined for various reasons.
Be that as it may, the disappointing aspect of it all, is the fact that everyone knows the Easter Spectacle comes annually and one would have thought by now that these appointments would have been done more swiftly to allow more time to settle in.
With time running out and if all else fails, perhaps Lewis could be given the nod again as it will definitely help the squad to build on the previous two years also striving for continuity – which actually makes sense.
Alas! The name of Roger Fortune was also mentioned but only time will tell. Hopefully next year, these issues would have been sorted and that the region can announce their Bayhill coach immediately after the playoffs.
