Former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey heaped praise on former national coach Clive Barker, who died on Saturday.
Bafana Bafana legend Neil Tovey talks about the impact former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker had on the national team that won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations at FNB Stadium against Tunisia.
The 78-year-old sadly passed away in a hospital in Durban this past Saturday after battling Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) for many years.
Barker will always be remembered for what he has done for our football nation, winning the 1996 AFCON by beating Tunisia 2-0.
Tovey, who was the captain of the 1996 Afcon winning team, recently spoke to the media where they were at the house of the late former Bafana coach to pay their respect. The 60-year-old told reporters about the impact Barker had on them to achieve what they did in 1996.
[WATCH] “He left a legacy which is going to be very difficult to equal” - Neil Tovey on the passing of Clive Barker #clivebarker#ripclivebarker
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“He was really one of love, one of happiness at all times.
“When you are happy with what you do and you love what you are doing, you will always play to your best of your ability and always play above yourself. And that’s certainly class, strength he knew how to help players, he knew how to make players combine and he knew what he needed in certain departments of the team and he was very strict at that,” he said.
“He didn’t ask Linda Buthelezi to play like Doctor, he didn’t ask Doctor to play like Linda. He knew each and every player’s strength and if they all play to their strength, the team will be a better team.”
Barker will have a provincial funeral and a national coaching programme named in his honour, and he will be laid to rest in a provincial burial in Durban on Thursday, according to his son and family spokesperson John Barker.
