New Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has a lot to prove

Briton Stuart Baxter’s return to the Bafana Bafana coaching seat he vacated in 2005 will draw mixed reaction from the nation’s soccer lovers after the protracted search for Ephraim ‘‘Shakes” Mashaba’s successor finally came to an end on Thursday afternoon.

The SuperSport United coach comes up short when measured against the criteria set by his new employers‚ the South African Football Association (Safa)‚ in the beginning of the year.

One of the conditions states that the new Bafana coach needs to have international coaching experience‚ ‘‘Especially African competition with a minimum of five and 10 years.”

• BREAKING: Safa names Stuart Baxter as new Bafana Bafana coachThe protracted search for a Bafana Bafana coach is finally over after the South African Football Association (Safa) named Stuart Baxter as Ephraim ‘‘Shakes” Mashaba’s successor on Thursday afternoon. 

Bafana are the only national team he has coached on the continent and he was in charge between 2004 and 2005.

Many of those who are opposed to his appointment took to social media on Thursday and pointed out that he quit the same Bafana job in November 2005 after he failed to qualify the national side for the 2006 Soccer World Cup.

He had won 10 of his 23 games in charge of Bafana first time round‚ drawing six and losing seven.

• Safa will announce Bafana coach in next '24 to 48 hours'‚ Baxter favorite for the jobStuart Baxter appears set to be announced the new Bafana Bafana head coach‚ with the South African football Association saying on Wednesday they are finally ready to announce the successful candidate‚ "in the next 24 to 48 hours". 

Safa confirmed Baxter’s appointment on Thursday but did not reveal the names of the members of his technical team. The length of his contract with Bafana was also not made public.

According to a statement issued by the football mother body‚ the Briton will be officially unveiled to the media and the public in the coming days by Safa president Danny Jordaan when he returns to South Africa from Confederation of African Football and FIFA commitments in Egypt.

Bafana have a crucial 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier against nemesis Nigeria early next month and Supersport have agreed to allow Baxter to be part of the national team’s preparations.

• Baxter breaks his silence and explains why he hasn't been named Bafana coach yetStuart Baxter says he is waiting for the South African Football Association (Safa) to respond on whether he can continue coaching SuperSport United until the end of the season‚ and Bafana Bafana‚ before considering a reply to Safa’s approach to him. 

‘‘The Supersport United coach will‚ meanwhile‚ continue to fulfil his coaching responsibilities at the club for the remaining four Absa Premiership fixtures as well as the Nedbank Cup and Confederations Cup‚” said the statement.

‘‘Safa and Supersport United have agreed to work together to ensure that the Baxter gets time off post the final league match on May 27 to prepare Bafana Bafana for the upcoming Afcon match against Nigeria.”

United remain in the Nedbank Cup and club CEO Stanley Matthews stressed that Baxter would be expected to remain at the helm until the conclusion of the domestic cup competition.

• Baxter's chances of succeeding Mashaba as Bafana Bafana coach diminish by the daySuperSport United coach Stuart Baxter appears to have priced himself out of the Bafanan Bafana job. 

“But right now our focus‚ and that of Stuart’s‚ has to be on a strong finish to the League‚ becoming the first club to retain the Nedbank Cup and to fight our way through the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup‚” Matthews said in a statement.

‘‘So we are glad this matter is now settled and we can all focus on the job at hand which is meeting our football targets for this season and planning ahead for next season.”

While Baxter’s first spell as Bafana coach was no great shakes‚ he has since gone on to enjoy considerable domestic success‚ including two league championships in three years at Chiefs‚ as well as a Nedbank Cup victory with SuperSport last May.

• Irate SuperSport United officials give Safa and Stuart Baxter an ultimatumAn annoyed SuperSport United will give the South African Football Association until the middle of next week to conclude their negotiations with Stuart Baxter on the vacant Bafana Bafana coaching position. 

And to his benefit‚ he is a lot wiser this time and has a better understanding of the kind of environment he is walking into as Mashaba’s successor.

The Bafana coaching seat has been vacant since Mashaba was sacked in December last year.

The combustible Mashaba was fired after he was found guilty on several charges‚ including gross misconduct and insubordination.

The former Bafana coach is challenging his dismissal and has taken his case to the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration.

 — TMG Digital/TMG Sport