Stellenbosch FC may be one of South Africa’s most admired clubs, but questions are mounting over how much longer Steve Barker, the PSL’s longest-serving coach, will stay at the helm amid constant raids on the club’s top talent.
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Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, and Orlando Pirates have all benefited from Stellenbosch’s ability to develop players and staff, poaching everything from first-team stars to performance analysts and academy graduates.
Questions naturally have surfaced around whether Barker would potentially be the next big departure, club CEO Rob Benadie insists there is no sense of panic in the Winelands.
“I think that's part of our successes, our continuity,” Benadie told the South African Football Journalists Association (SAFJA).
“Steve’s been the longest-serving, or is the longest-serving, coach by some distance in the league. And fortunately, we’ve been able to maintain that stability. Yes, we’ve lost some really good, talented staff members and players to Mamelodi Sundowns and others, but that’s part of the game.”
Barker, who guided Stellies to back-to-back third-place finishes has become synonymous with the club’s identity and progress. Still, Benadie acknowledges that loyalty has its limits, and success must never be taken for granted.
“There’s no one that’s untouchable,” he admitted.
“Is Steve untouchable? No. Is Rob Benadie untouchable? No. But I’d like to be at the club for a long time still, and I’d like Steve to be here for a long time. If any of us leave, the club must stand on its own feet and move forward without that individual. That’s the key.”
It’s a refreshingly honest stance from a club chief in an era where quick fixes and panic-driven decisions dominate the football landscape. Benadie even looked back on what could have been a turning point in the club’s early years, and one that might have cost Barker his job at a different club.
“In season two of our PSL campaign, we finished 14th. We had to go away to Golden Arrows and get a result to avoid the playoffs,” Benadie recalled.
"Maybe 60% of clubs in this league would have fired Steve after that season. But we didn’t, because we look at data, we look at the bigger picture. That season we believed we were actually the 8th or 9th best team in the league based on performance metrics. We trusted our process, and we were vindicated in the long run.”
Stellenbosch’s measured approach has paid dividends. Not only have they built a reputation as one of the best-run clubs in the country, but they’ve also developed household names now flourishing at bigger institutions.
The club’s philosophy is rooted in sustainable growth, incremental improvement, and maintaining a cohesive culture.
“I’ve always preferred the [Sir Alex] Ferguson or [Arsene] Wenger model,” Benadie added.
“Let’s try to build, improve by 1% or 10% every season, and retain real quality staff. But of course, it’s a professional and results-driven business. I will never sit here and say that my head coach, no matter who it is, is here for life. It’s not like that.”
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