New Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter says his team will “give Nigeria a game” when the two African giants square off in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier next month.
The SA Football Association officially unveiled Baxter at Safa House in Johannesburg on Monday, and the Scottish national was adamant that there were good enough players to make Bafana a force.
Safa president Danny Jordaan flanked Baxter and said it was a “unanimous decision” to hand the coach a second stint in the job.
The 63-year-old has been given a five-year contract.
“I hope we will be very competitive with Nigeria. We will give them a game. I’m really looking forward to this latest challenge. If I wasn’t ready, I would not have accepted the challenge,” Baxter said.
“I’m very optimistic if we can pull together, but don’t be too negative because it will affect everyone. I’m asking for buy-in from every South African.
Baxter: "I want players who will play with passion and not behave as if they are tourists in the national team." @IOLsport @extrastrongsa
— Mohau Ramashidja (@Mohau_Ra) May 15, 2017
“I believe the nation has enough players to succeed and I believe in my abilities. We need to be competitive and players will do it the SA way. The play should reflect the play in the country.”
Safa confirmed that Baxter will name his technical team and squad for the Nigerian game on May 25, with the match taking place on June 10 in Uyo, southern Nigeria.