Former Afcon-winning coach with Bafana Bafana, Clive Barker, says that the decision to appoint Molefi Ntseki as the national team head coach was crazy because he hasn’t won any trophies, while also calling for Benni McCarthy to be given a chance.

Bafana disappointed yet again this past weekend as they suffered a 2-0 defeat by Sudan, with the country missing out on qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations finals to be hosted by Cameroon in January 2022.

Amid growing calls for Ntseki to step down, Barker believes the Bafana coach didn’t have the necessary experience to succeed with the national team.

‘I have always said that you have to have coaches that have won things. I mean‚ not to be against coach Molefi Ntseki‚ I think his mannerisms are good and I think his intentions are good‚ but really you have got to win things. I feel for him‚’ Barker told Times Live.

‘I think it is terrible that we have all these facilities that we have got and just be knocked out so early. It is just crazy. The quality of football leaves quite a bit to be desired.

‘I mean‚ it is crazy [the decision to appoint Ntseki]. You can’t go there and be in charge of a national team and you have never won anything.

‘I can’t recall if he has won something and if he has won‚ then I do apologise. Arthur Zwane sits there and he has won all types of trophies; how can he go there and have a guy who has never won anything?’

Barker feels Ntseki’s replacement should be a local coach and here McCarthy would be the right man.

‘I think they should have thought of maybe someone like Benni McCarthy or people like that, who can come in and turn this whole thing around,’ said Barker.

‘No doubt about it‚ he [McCarthy] is a breath of fresh air. He knows the game at the highest level and he has played and scored at the highest level.

‘He has made his mark at national level as a player and he is now making his mark as a coach locally. He is the guy that should be able to take us forward.

‘He is the flavour of the month at the moment – and he should be, too. He has done really well as a coach‚ the people respond well to him and they do it for a reason – because he has delivered the goods before.’