Werder Bremen’s Finland international Niklas Moisander believes the historical lack of success of that country’s national team played against current Bafana Bafana boss Stuart Baxter when he coached the Scandinavians from 2008 to 2010.
Moisander – the 33-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam and Sampdoria centreback – grinned facing questions from German and South African journalists at his Randburg hotel on Friday when asked about Baxter.
The Fin was given his international debut in 2008 by the well-travelled Scots/Englishman‚ and went onto 62 caps for his national team.
“He was the first coach who called me for the national team‚ so that was a great moment for me‚” Moisander – in South Africa for Bundesliga club Bremen’s winter tour‚ where they meet Kaizer Chiefs and Bidvest Wits in friendlies next week – said.
“I liked him as a coach. You could see the experience he had from coaching all over the world.
“He’s a man of the world and he’s had success in Sweden‚ and here also.
“I think he’s a good coach. He gave me my debut with the Finnish team and he did get some good results but unfortunately we didn’t make it to the European championship or the World Cup. But that’s the way it is.”
Baxter has enjoyed domestic success in Scandinavia‚ winning a league title and two cups in Sweden‚ and South Africa‚ where he won two doubles in three years with Kaizer Chiefs and a further two cup trophies with SuperSport United.
However the coach has had less success as a national team coach‚ failing to qualify for major tournaments with Finland and South Africa.
Moisander said the struggles of the national team of Finland‚ the sliver of a Scandinavian country sandwiched between Sweden and Russia with a population of just over five million‚ had counted against Baxter.
“It’s many things. But Finland has never been in a European Championship or a World Cup‚” the defender said.
“So there have been other coaches who have also tried. I think it’s a little bit a question of the culture and the youth coaching – quality coaches starting from the youth.
“It’s a big question that we’re looking at in Finland and we’re starting to get it right.
“I think we were quite close [to reaching tournaments under Baxter]. We had [Jari] Litmanen and [Sami] Hyypia. But we just‚ I guess‚ weren’t ready.”
Baxter‚ in his second stint with Bafana‚ failed last year to qualify for the 2018 Russia World Cup.
Currently SA’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification hangs in the balance‚ with an away draw needed against Libya in the final match to progress.
Or Baxter could be saved by the bell should the Confederation of African Football award the hosting of the 2019 Afcon‚ stripped from Cameroon‚ to South Africa when a decision is made between them and Egypt on January 9.
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