On The Passing Of Coach Clive Barker
It is sad to hear the news that our former national team coach, Clive Barker, has passed away. He loved me a lot and he even nicknamed me "Mercedes Benz". He was constantly fighting with club owners and journalists who did not have heart and love for me because they wanted to destroy the national team. The things Clive did for all of us as national team players were unforgettable, he helped us and was very courageous. He holds the same place in my heart as my parents. There was an agenda that I shouldn't be in the national team, but Clive stood by my side. People were jealous and when people are jealous, they won't tell you the reason. Clive was able to stop that and helped me grow. He told everyone that, "Linda has played 27 times for the national team and we have never lost, so what do you want?" I'm telling you about the way he protected and I never even questioned why he loved me. There were clubs that I played for and no one questioned my role, but when it came to the national team, there was jealousy. Clive played a very important role in my life and today I have all the big accolades because of him. He joined the national team in April 1994 and I remember one game we were playing in Durban, while I was walking off the field, he kept on looking at me. He never said a word. During all my time with the national team, he never said a word to me in terms of how I should play. I don't remember a coach telling me how to play. In our first meeting, he just said he welcomes me to the national team and things will change now that I'm part of the team, and that was it. Until my last game in 1997, he never coached me or told me how to play football. I knew what was expected from me and the only thing the coach did was to encourage us so that we could win. The protection he gave was unconditional even from the heartless people who were trying to destroy my life. Clive stood up and protected me. I know that I'm dedicated and I can do anything for any coach. You can go and ask Jomo Cosmos, you can go and ask Orlando Pirates, where I played without a contract. I knew what to do and that was to be a team player. I never did anything to make the team divided, I've never done that even with the national team.
On How Special He Was To The Players
I played many matches for the national team and Clive did not substitute me even when I got a yellow card because he knew that I could adjust. There is an adjustment. Even if I got a yellow card, I knew there were certain things I couldn't do during the match and Clive trusted me because he was a good coach. A good coach, when you get a yellow card, will never take you out because he knows your capabilities. Out of all coaches I played for during my career, what made Clive Barker different was that he had so much love. Clive was born with lots of love. He would talk about a player he never coached in a positive and good way, and that is love. He had a good heart. He never criticised anyone. He knew how to talk to people, even though there were many people trying to backstab him and even took over the national team. He still spent time with those people. Just like Jesus Christ, who knew who would betray him but would still break bread with the same people, Clive was like that. They took his national team and made us lose in France (in the 1998 World Cup) when we had worked hard to help the team qualify. Clive was strong and was not scared of any journalists or criticism. Just how intellectual he was, he had answers about everything. Clive's mind was very quick and he protected his credibility and that is why he was able to coach so many clubs. They knew that he was the father and players felt safe when he was around. I'm not going to talk about whether the country owes him gratitude because in this country we never had that norm, we never had that culture of appreciating excellence. Losing Clive is difficult, but we just have to say to his family: Condolences and may his soul rest in peace.
On Bafana Bafana's Upcoming Afcon Qualifier Against Morocco
This weekend, we are playing against Morocco in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and we have a good squad. As long as we have influential players, I'm happy. I've been impressed with Percy Tau and Themba Zwane. I'm not sure about other players, but I still believe that Helman Mkhalele needs to advise Hugo Broos to have players from Pirates and (Mamelodi) Sundowns. Our 1996 squad was mainly made up of Sundowns and Pirates players. There were experienced players from Europe, but the important and influential players came from Pirates and Sundowns because we had experience of playing in the Mandela Cup. Even now, why not select players from Sundowns because they understand everything and they still have the energy and vision of how to play? Khuliso Mudau is a very good player and that is someone we can utilise because he is a hard worker. We need hard workers in the national team. I still believe we can qualify for the next FIFA World Cup as long as we select players who work hard. I wish this team can progress and remain together until we reach the next World Cup without too many changes being made. The only problem we will have when we have players like Njabulo Blom… I'm talking about technicality, not the person … Blom is not that player that works hard and in midfield you need players that will work hard. You have to think in that position. I wish Hugo Broos all the best in this match and in future, but Helman must learn because he will be the coach one day. This is his country.
