Santana arrives to begin South Africa job

May 19, 2008

Brazilian coach Joel Santana arrived in South Africa on Sunday to begin his job as national team manager of the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts. Santana succeeds compatriot Carlos Alberto Parreira, the 1994 World Cup winning manager of Brazil, who quit his post with South Africa last month due to the ill health of his wife.

The 59-year-old Brazilian coach left the airport into a waiting car and headed for his hotel without talking to the national media. He later took in a first division league match but it has been announced he will meet the local media for the first time on Monday before naming his first squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup-CAF African Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria on June 1st.

Santana’s appointment has been widely criticised by the national media who were hoping for a more high profile appointment to lead the country into the 2010 World Cup Finals.

Santana resigned from Brazilian club side Flamengo to take charge of South Africa’s World Cup bid, aiming to turn the floundering South African side into genuine competitors. However, given South Africa’s poor showing at the 2008 African Cup of Nations just a few months ago, with just two points from three games earning a first round exit, that seems a tall order.

However, March’s 3-0 win over current COMENBOL leaders Paraguay did offer hope for the future, although the match with bogey side Nigeria in Abuja should help identify if that win was just a one-off.

Santana inherits a team that has discovered a promising goalkeeper in 20-year-old Itumeleng Khune, but lacks authority at the back, guile in the middle and punch up front.

One of Santana’s major decisions will be to decide whether or not to recall star striker Benni McCarthy, who was omitted by Parreira in recent games.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.