Clive Barker: ‘My recovery from surgery is like pre-season training’
Bafana Bafana legendary coach Clive Barker has likened his recovery phase from his recent heart surgery to the rigours of pre-season training.
The 1996 AFCON-winning coach is quoted saying this through a press release, which his family has issued to update the football fraternity about his health.
He recently underwent an operation “to restore normal flow through his aorta, the main artery that carries blood away from your heart to the rest of your body, after suffering an aneurysm.”
Aneurysm is defined as the localised excessive swelling of the artery wall.
The statement says Barker “is now undergoing rehabilitation in a Step Down Facility.”
The 78-year-old is said to be in good spirits and hopes to return home soon.
‘IT FEELS LIKE I’M IN ONE OF THE PRE-SEASON TRAININGS’
“It feels like I’m in one of the pre-season trainings that my players had to endure when I was coaching,” Barker is quoted saying.
The Durban-based coach guided Bafana to their only finest continental glory after winning the AFCON trophy in 1996.
Ghost of a centre-forward called Mark Williams wrote his name in South African football forkrole when he struck twice to down Tunisia 2-0 in the final at the FNB Stadium.
Barker famously celebrated the moment of triumph with in a ‘flying aeroplane’ style to torch celebrations among 80,000 fans.
Barker was a father figure whose charism rubbed off his players, who hardly needed motivation to fight for the coach and the nation.
Bafana class of 1996 went on to secure a dance with the world’s finest at the 1998 World Cup finals in France.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST PAST AND PRESENT BAFANA CLASS
South Africa’s squad had talent such as Andre Arendse, Mark Fish, Neil Tovey, Sizwe Motaung, Lucas Radebe, Helman Mkhalele, John Moeti, Eric Tinkler, Linda Buthelezi, John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu, Doctor Khumalo, Phil Masinga, Shaun Bartlett and Mark Williams.
Most of the players from such a generation were so good they took to Premier League football clubs like a duck to water.
Masinga and Radebe found their niche at Leeds United, Fulham signed Arendse with Bartlett finding a new home at Charlton Athletics and Williams (Wolves).
In contrast, no other coach has led Bafana to the AFCON glory.
Even merely qualifying for the continental showpiece is a tough task like that of baby trying to swim across the Limpopo River.
Furthermore, there is no South African elite male footballer playing for a Premier League team. Let alone in other top leagues of the Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A.
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