South Africa: Tovey Recalls First Bafana Meeting With Barker

12 June 2023
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Michael Madyira

Bafana Bafana's 1996 Africa Cup of Nations-winning captain Neil Tovey remembered his first national team encounter with legendary coach Clive Barker.

The two had previously worked together at Durban City and AmaZulu in the 1980s before they were reunited in the Bafana set-up.

Former South Africa tactician Barker died on Saturday after battling with Lewy body dementia.

When Barker took over as Bafana coach in 1994, Tovey had been relieved of his duties as the national team captain amid allegations of indiscipline.

But the late trainer reinstated the then-Kaizer Chiefs defender as skipper, taking away the armband from Steve Komphela, who had been appointed team captain.

"When he became the coach, we sat down and I said to him, 'Coach, you have a special talent and that's what the team needs at this moment,"' Tovey told Scrolla.Africa.

"The team needed someone to bring life to the camp, someone who would support the players and make them happy. That's the discussion we had when he first started.

"I didn't know I had the talent, actually I knew I didn't have the talent, but he wanted the discussion to be around making the players feel welcome in the camp and making them feel very good about playing for the country."

The two went on to guide Bafana to the 1996 Afcon title after beating Tunisia in the final.

Tovey recalls Barker's qualities that made him the most successful South Africa coach, who also led the country to their first-ever Fifa World Cup qualification.

"He was a players' guy," said Tovey.

"To him, everything was about the players and about creating a happy environment. That is why he was so successful."

"It was always a pleasure to come to camp and camp was fun. It was never a complicated camp because everyone knew their roles.

"Clive made sure each player played to his strength and he never asked us to play in a different way. Obviously when you have a happy family, that's when you win."

Despite Barker helping Bafana qualify for the 1998 World Cup, he did not travel to France with the team.

Pictured above: Former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker

Image source: Safa

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