More details to follow!!!

BY Obakeng Maje

The SAFA Technical Committee under the chairmanship of Fanyana Sibanyoni today, 14 June 2012, completed what it says was a successful interviewing process of finding a new Bafana Bafana coach.
Four coaches went through the gruelling process of the interviews after making a presentation.

The four that went through the process were Neil Tovey, Gavin Hunt, Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba and Gordon Igesund. Caretaker Bafana Bafana Coach, Steve Komphela will face the panel on Monday, 18 June 2012.

The prospective candidates were interviewed by Technical Committee Chair, Sibanyoni, SAFA Technical Director Serame Letsoaka, CEO Dr Robin Petersen, Jomo Sono, Clive Barker, Farouk Khan, Buti Mathathe and Suoane Ramashala. The other committee member, Ted Dumitru was not available as he is on business overseas. The exercise was conducted under the watchful eye of auditors Ernst & Young.

“The Committee was very happy with the whole exercise and once we finish interviewing Steve, the process of finding a new coach will almost be complete, with only the approval of the SAFA National Executive Committee remaining” said Sibanyoni.

BY Obakeng Maje

The South African Football Association’s (SAFA) Technical Committee Chairperson, Mr Fanyana Sibanyoni, has revealed that interviews for the Bafana Bafana coaching job, which were scheduled to have commenced today (Wednesday, 13 June 2012), will now all be conducted on Thursday, 14 June 2012.

This is with the exception of Bafana Bafana caretaker coach, Steve Komphela, who is in camp with the Senior Men’s National Team preparing for the international friendly match against Gabon.
The clash takes place on Friday, 15 June 2012 at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Komphela will be interviewed on Tuesday, 19 June 2012.

Sibanyoni said the committee arrived at the decision after concluding that conducting interviews on separate days would give an advantage to those who would come later.

“It was a procedural decision that we took as the Technical Committee. We decided that all prospective coaches will each have a two-hour presentation followed by interviews, with the exception of Steve who is on national duty,” said Sibanyoni.

“We expect to start the interviews early in the morning and everyone should have gone through the process by 16h00.”

The Technical Committee Chairperson added that once the process of interviewing the five is completed on Tuesday, the Committee will expedite the process of recommending the ranked candidates on a list from which the NEC will select the successful candidate.

“We would like to appeal to the public to support the successful candidate because people will have their own preferred candidates. There is a huge diversity of opinion on this matter that is why I am appealing to the public to welcome whoever is selected as the new Bafana Bafana Head Coach,” added Sibanyoni.

The following five candidates were identified and placed on a shortlist for the vacant Bafana Bafana head coach job.

1. Gordon Igesund   Moroka Swallows
2. Gavin Hunt   Supersport United
3. Neil Tovey   Former Bafana Bafana Captain Neil Tovey
4. Shakes Mashaba  SA U23 Coach
5. Steve Komphela  Bafana Bafana caretaker coach and Free State Stars Coach

The position was left vacant after SAFA and former coach Pitso Mosimane parted ways amicably last week.