Big blow for Bafana

Report by Sapa-DPA

Cape Town – SOUTH Africa’s World Cup preparations suffered a further set-back when the country’s most successful coach declined an offer to work as the side’s technical advisor at the finals.

Three-time league championship-winning coach Gordon Igesund said on Tuesday he had turned down an offer from national coach Jomo Sono.

The move followed a verbal attack on Igesund by Sono, who said Igesund’s sides played football “that astute opponents would easily predict”. He claimed that a team coached by Igesund had never beaten his club.

In a statement on Tuesday, Igesund said that Sono was spreading falsehoods. Their sides had met 15 times, with Igesund winning eight times and Sono’s teams only taking four matches, he said.

“If Sono has so little regard for my tactical approach to the game, I do not see any purpose in going to the World Cup with him,” Igesund said.

Sono, who is to step down as national coach after the World Cup and take over as technical director, also said he would be responsible for picking the new national coach. Igesund would need to change his style of play if he wanted to be considered for the job, Sono said.

“I have the final say on who is hired. In essence, national coaches in South African football are my responsibility as technical director,” Sono said.

“I am very surprised that Jomo Sono would say such a thing, as no professional coach with any integrity would be prepared to work under such conditions. Ultimately it is the coach who has to take the responsibility. How can he do that if he does not have the final say over whom to select?” said Igesund, the fans’ choice to take over from Sono.

“If Jomo Sono’s speech reflects the will and understanding of the South African Football Association, I will never be coach of my country, as I will never compromise my principles,” Igesund said.

Igesund questioned how an employee of the association could be allowed openly to criticise and attack a fellow coach.

A spokesman for the association confirmed that Sono would be involved in choosing the new coach but did not comment on Sono’s criticism of Igesund.

“Ultimately Jomo Sono chooses the team he wants to take with him to the finals. That is his choice and we will not interfere.” Igesund’s decision is the latest in a series of setbacks for the South African team.

Earlier this week, Bafana captain Shaun Bartlett, the country’s top international scorer, announced that he had to withdraw from the World Cup squad with an ankle injury.

There is also uncertainty surrounding defenders Mark Fish and Lucas Radebe, who are both nursing injuries and have not played first team football for several months.

Sono has received permission from the association to name his final World Cup squad on May 16, several days after the team leaves for a four-nations tournament in Hong Kong.

� See also Pages 16, 17 and 18.