Cape Town — Over time, many soccer scribes hailed Clive Barker's great motivational skills, which many thought were his biggest assets as a successful football coach.
Over time, Barker felt he was being sold short and reminded the media that he offered much more than basic motivation.
As a result, he did not take too kindly to these comments and reminded the media whenever the opportunity arose.
Adoring fans nicknamed him “The Dog” because they saw a connection between Barker and dog.
In the end, it would have taken some writers perhaps four decades to discover that Barker was indeed the full package. In the wake of his passing, many of his proteges have come forward with wide-ranging accounts of his tenure as a football coach of note. Barker, they said, was a coach of manifold talents.
Soon after democracy in 1994, Barker was summoned to start up the national football team Bafana Bafana. It was a match made in heaven because Barker had been fully prepared for the era of democracy.
During the evil days of Apartheid, Barker had ventured into black areas to coach teams. It was illegal in those days, but he was passionate about the game and wanted to help develop players.
There were times when he travelled with black teams, but he could not stay with them in the hotel. It was illegal for whites to stay in hotels, located in black areas. As a result, he slept in his car.
On the odd occasion, he would sneak past the security to enter the hotel for a shower after a night in the car.
By the time he was appointed national team coach, Barker had already managed teams like AmaZulu, Durban City and Durban Bush Bucks.
During this time, he fell in love with the natural talents of players in these areas. He knew that if these raw talents were used meaningfully, he would have a champion team.
This coaching experience which started in 1973 when he was forced to quit playing because of a recurring knee injury, had equipped him to build a team capable of conquering Africa.
Most importantly, he identified a role for every player in the squad. He made every player aware of what was expected of them.
He was also a champion with the supporters and knew a few Zulu words which usually delighted the crowd.
Barker prepared his teams well but not to the point that they would act like machines on the field of play. They had to be physically fit, and he encouraged players to perform freely and intuitively by relying on their football instincts.
IOL Sport