Baxter's chances of succeeding Mashaba as Bafana Bafana coach diminish by the day

SuperSport United coach Stuart Baxter appears to have priced himself out of the Bafanan Bafana job.

The Briton's R1million a month salary and other additional demands he's added since agreeing in principle to take over the job have emerged as the reasons South African Football Association (Safa) officials are yet to announce the new senior national team coach four months after Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba's sacking.

Mashaba‚ who is currently engaged in an arbitration battle with his former employers at CCMA‚ was sacked in December following his outburst at Safa officials and at the media after the 2-1 win over Senegal in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Polokwane.

• Shakes Mashaba vs Safa reaches a stalemate and will resume next monthThe arbitration case between the South African Football Association (Safa) and former Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba at the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) offices in Johannesburg has been adjourned to May 22. 

Insiders told Times Media Digital on Tuesday that his demand to have his son Lee appointed as national team goalkeeper coach and Joshua Smith as physical trainer on a full-time basis also contributed to the stalemate.

Baxter has also made additional requests for a car‚ cell-phone‚ overseas travel allowance‚ housing allowance and special performance bonuses in addition to his salary demand.

United gave Baxter permission to speak to Safa last month but the Pretoria side indicated that the coach would only be available at the end of the current season if all the parties agreed on the terms.

• 'Mashaba was a man who was bitterly angry with Safa and the media' says PetersenSouth African Football Association (Safa) Development Agency chief executive Dr Robin Petersen has compared the behaviour of Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba’s after the 2-1 win over Senegal in Polokwane last year to dousing himself in petrol and setting himself alight. 

Safa elected to open talks with another coach when Baxter's demands started to increase and chief executive Dennis Mumble confirmed to Times Media Digital that they are exploring other options.

“We have never said that we are talking to only one person‚" Mumble said last week.

"We have to make sure that we have alternatives and that’s what we are working on now.

"I can’t mention names but there is more than one person we are talking to and it is something that we really have to try and finalise as soon as possible.”

• Bafana Bafana coach hunt a soapieIf the search for the Bafana Bafana coach was a TV show, it would be a soapie — a mind-numbing story dragging on too long before one character comes back from the dead.  

Caretaker coach Owen da Gama was recently in charge of the friendly matches against Guinea Bissau and Angola and he will continue in that acting capacity if Safa are not able to find a replacement who is available immediately in the coming weeks.

This year‚ Bafana have a daunting opening 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria in June.

That encounter will be followed by back-to-back 2018 World Cup qualifier matches against Cape Verde in September and one against Burkina Faso in October.

 - TMG Digital/TMG Digital