Johannesburg - Former Bafana Bafana Captain and 2010 FIFA World Cup ambassador Lucas Radebe has thrown his weight behind plans by SAFA to replace Alberto Parreira with a local coach.
SAFA officials confirmed at the weekend that the association was eyeing a local coach to replace Parreira whose term as Bafana coach ended when the national team was knocked out of the World Cup last week.
Radebe said SAFA should use the tournament as a lesson and start developing a South African coach who understands "the culture and traditions" of football in the country.
"Having a local coach will not only aid development but will bring back the interest of supporters because when you have someone who does things the South African way...someone who understands the culture and traditions of football in this country; people will start noticing," Radebe said.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a FIFA press conference where he was revealed as among the high profile people behind FIFA's campaign, Football for Hope Centres.
The names of Supersport Coach Gavin Hunt and current Bafana assistant coach Pitso Mosimane have been mentioned as possible successors to Parreira, whose term as Coach has been hailed as successful in recent history. Whoever takes over Bafana will be faced with the task of preparing the team for the 2012 African Cup of Nations and the World Cup in Brazil two years later.
"Look, both Gavin Hunt and Pitso are very talented South Africans and anyone of them deserves the job. For things have not been consistent in the national team if you compare things back to our time, maybe its time we give a local guy a chance," said Radebe, who won the African Cup of Nations in 1996.
He said while Bafana gave their all in their exit match against France, the national team should have done better. "The boys are very talented, you saw how they play it was just a matter of strategy I would have preferred them to go beyond (the first round). This being an African World Cup we are hoping Ghana can go all the way," said Radebe, who also became one of the longest serving captains of England's Leeds United.
