The demise of legendary Clive Barker should be a lesson on giving deserving sporting icons their flowers while they can still smell them.
That was the sentiment shared by the South African sporting fraternity after the former Bafana Bafana coach’s special provincial funeral that took place in Durban’s Olive Convention Centre on Thursday.
That, however, was a bittersweet moment for the people whose lives were touched by the coaching giant having noted that Barker was not given such special recognition when he was still alive.
That view was first expressed by a tearful Doctor Khumalo who was a member of Barker’s famous “class of ‘96” team that delivered the nation’s only continental title.
“This man deserved better. We should’ve acknowledged him while he was still alive. At the moment, I strongly believe that we failed him as a nation,” he said.
Expanding on that view after the funeral service, Khumalo added: “I find it very disturbing in terms of protecting our own history. What are we proud of because this is the guy who put a smile on South African faces and, I must say, it pains me to see that now he’s gone without being acknowledged officially. At the end of the day it’s unfortunate because our youth will not understand who Clive Barker was.”
Those sentiments were endorsed by former Bafana captain Lucas Radebe who told TimesLIVE Barker did not get the recognition from the rest of the nation that matched the level of respect that those in the football community had for him.
“You can see with the current footballers and how football has gone that we don’t have that inspiration. He remains the only coach who brought (tangible) success for Bafana Bafana but he was never recognised in the way that the respect he had from the football fraternity and the fans commanded,” he said.
Augusto Palacios, who Barker succeeded as national team coach on his way to that famous achievement, said people who had been as influential as “The Dog” should never have found themselves in need of a job at any point in football.
He said his knowledge and experience could have been used by the South African Football Association (Safa), for example, to better football in the country.
“I believe the coaches who did well in the national team — Clive, Screamer (Stanley Tshabalala), Trott Moloto, Shakes Mashaba — with the knowledge they have accumulated could be utilised in positions like Safa’s technical committee,” he said.
“We are not begging for jobs but we’re saying let’s recognise coaches who did the best for the country. Why are these particular coaches not guiding South African football because they have shown that they have the knowledge and experience?”
That view was echoed by Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi who said Barker’s death was both a loss and a lesson for the nation.
“It’s the loss of a library and the encyclopedia of football that we did not utilise to get how he did what he did. He’s the only coach that took us to continental glory in 1996 — it has never happened again — and one would think we would’ve gone to him (more) for reference,” he said.
“Hearing what was said about Clive at the funeral, how nice would it have been if it was said in his presence? You cannot have someone who has achieved what he did — a nation builder — and then we only know what he did after he has passed.”
Renowned Bloemfontein Celtics and Bafana Bafana fan Botha Msila said a monument should have been built or named in his honour.
“We were supposed to name so many academies, or even a stadium, after him but we did nothing. Today we are celebrating him after he's dead and that is the problem with us as a nation. That needs to be taken seriously. We need to change that system and make it conducive to all of us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Safa has proposed the name of South Africa's coaching development programme be changed to the Clive Barker coaching programme to honour him.
Palacios questioned why something was not done after it became known Barker was sick.
“I’m not looking to make anyone feel guilty, it’s just an opinion,” he said. “This is something that Clive, let's say three years ago when (we found out) he has this, he was sick with this illness, why not use this time to recognise his life and express appreciation?”
Japhet Zwane, who played under Barker at both Manning Rangers and AmaZulu, chose to see his passing in a positive light.
“If you saw him on his last days you wouldn't see his passing as a loss but as a case of someone who ran his race successfully, played his part and touched many lives who must now be allowed to rest,” he said.
He added, however, that a state funeral in a stadium would have been a more fitting farewell.
TimesLIVE
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'This man deserved better': Remembering Clive Barker
Image: Luke Walker/Gallo Images
The demise of legendary Clive Barker should be a lesson on giving deserving sporting icons their flowers while they can still smell them.
That was the sentiment shared by the South African sporting fraternity after the former Bafana Bafana coach’s special provincial funeral that took place in Durban’s Olive Convention Centre on Thursday.
That, however, was a bittersweet moment for the people whose lives were touched by the coaching giant having noted that Barker was not given such special recognition when he was still alive.
That view was first expressed by a tearful Doctor Khumalo who was a member of Barker’s famous “class of ‘96” team that delivered the nation’s only continental title.
“This man deserved better. We should’ve acknowledged him while he was still alive. At the moment, I strongly believe that we failed him as a nation,” he said.
Expanding on that view after the funeral service, Khumalo added: “I find it very disturbing in terms of protecting our own history. What are we proud of because this is the guy who put a smile on South African faces and, I must say, it pains me to see that now he’s gone without being acknowledged officially. At the end of the day it’s unfortunate because our youth will not understand who Clive Barker was.”
Those sentiments were endorsed by former Bafana captain Lucas Radebe who told TimesLIVE Barker did not get the recognition from the rest of the nation that matched the level of respect that those in the football community had for him.
“You can see with the current footballers and how football has gone that we don’t have that inspiration. He remains the only coach who brought (tangible) success for Bafana Bafana but he was never recognised in the way that the respect he had from the football fraternity and the fans commanded,” he said.
Augusto Palacios, who Barker succeeded as national team coach on his way to that famous achievement, said people who had been as influential as “The Dog” should never have found themselves in need of a job at any point in football.
He said his knowledge and experience could have been used by the South African Football Association (Safa), for example, to better football in the country.
“I believe the coaches who did well in the national team — Clive, Screamer (Stanley Tshabalala), Trott Moloto, Shakes Mashaba — with the knowledge they have accumulated could be utilised in positions like Safa’s technical committee,” he said.
“We are not begging for jobs but we’re saying let’s recognise coaches who did the best for the country. Why are these particular coaches not guiding South African football because they have shown that they have the knowledge and experience?”
That view was echoed by Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi who said Barker’s death was both a loss and a lesson for the nation.
“It’s the loss of a library and the encyclopedia of football that we did not utilise to get how he did what he did. He’s the only coach that took us to continental glory in 1996 — it has never happened again — and one would think we would’ve gone to him (more) for reference,” he said.
“Hearing what was said about Clive at the funeral, how nice would it have been if it was said in his presence? You cannot have someone who has achieved what he did — a nation builder — and then we only know what he did after he has passed.”
Renowned Bloemfontein Celtics and Bafana Bafana fan Botha Msila said a monument should have been built or named in his honour.
“We were supposed to name so many academies, or even a stadium, after him but we did nothing. Today we are celebrating him after he's dead and that is the problem with us as a nation. That needs to be taken seriously. We need to change that system and make it conducive to all of us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Safa has proposed the name of South Africa's coaching development programme be changed to the Clive Barker coaching programme to honour him.
Palacios questioned why something was not done after it became known Barker was sick.
“I’m not looking to make anyone feel guilty, it’s just an opinion,” he said. “This is something that Clive, let's say three years ago when (we found out) he has this, he was sick with this illness, why not use this time to recognise his life and express appreciation?”
Japhet Zwane, who played under Barker at both Manning Rangers and AmaZulu, chose to see his passing in a positive light.
“If you saw him on his last days you wouldn't see his passing as a loss but as a case of someone who ran his race successfully, played his part and touched many lives who must now be allowed to rest,” he said.
He added, however, that a state funeral in a stadium would have been a more fitting farewell.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE
Clive Barker ‘deserved better’: Doctor Khumalo
'I never thought this day would come': Doctor Khumalo remembers Clive Barker
The genius of Clive Barker: the son of South African football
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