UMQEQESHI weSupersport United, uStuart Baxter, uchitha amahlezi okuthi useke wathintwa yizikhulu zeSouth African Football Association (Safa) ukuthi azotakula iBafana Bafana ongatholakali umqeqeshi ozovala isikhala sika-Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba.
ISafa ihlangabezane nembibizane uCarlos Queiroz enqatshelwa yi-Iran ukuthi azothatha isikhundla sokucija iBafana. I-Iran isichithile isicelo sikaQueiroz sokushiya umsebenzi.
Ngemuva kwalokho iSafa ibe isizama uHerve Renard ocija iqembu lesizwe laseMorocco. Nokho naye ubhekane nenkinga efanayo ngoba enenkontileka neMorocco. Ukuhluleka kweSafa ukuthola laba baqeqeshi kwenze kwaqubuka imibiko yokuthi isigcine imthintile uBaxter imncenga ukuthi azotakula iBafana. UBaxter ubelokhu eyichithe njalo indaba yeBafana selokhu aqala ukumataniswa nesikhundla sokuyiqeqesha.
NgoLwesithathu ebusuku ngemuva komdlalo wezakhe neRoyal Eagles eHarry Gwala Stadium, eMgungundlovu, koweNedbank Cup, uBaxter uphikile ukuthi iSafa ike yamthinta ekuqaleni kwesonto.
“Angingabazi ukuthi uma sengihlangana nezikhulu zeSuperSport zizongibuza ngendaba yeBafana. Zonke izingxoxo esengike ngaba nazo nezikhulu zeqembu zicacile ngoba sikhuluma indaba yokuthi ngingumqeqeshi weSuperSport. Akukho okungaphezu kwalokho engikwaziyo. Ngiyawezwa amahemuhemu kodwa engikwaziyo nengikuqondayo wukuthi akukho osekushiwo kimi yiSafa. “Ngiyazi ukuthi kunezingxoxo ngaphakathi zokuthi bayangifuna kodwa angifuni ukuzihlanganisa nazo kuze kube bayangithinta abeSafa, angikaze ngibe nomhlangano nabo. Ngifuna ukuziqhelelanisa nalezi zinkulumo kuze kube bayangithinta emuva kwalokho ngiyobe sengikwazi ukuphawula ngodaba lweSafa ngendlela eqondile,” kusho uBaxter.
UBaxter uke wayibamba kuBafana phambili. Ngo-2004 kuya ku-2006 uBaxter nguyena owayecija iBafana.
Amanye amagama avelayo kubaqeqeshi abafunwa yiSafa ngelikaHugo Broos onqobe i-Africa Cup of Nations neCameroon kulo nyaka, uRuud Krol oshiye ezakhele umlando omuhle ku-Orlando Pirates noGavin Hunt oqeqesha iBidvest Wits.
IBafana izoholwa ngu-Owen Da Gama ngoMashi 25 uma isidlala umdlalo wesihle neGuinea Bissau eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini. Ngemuva kwalokho iBafana izodulana ne-Angola ngoMashi 28 komunye wobungani.