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Matthew Booth. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/RICHARD HUGGARD
Former Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth plans to take a coaching course in Windhoek because he became so fed up with having to chase after the SA Football Association (Safa) for information on their programme.
Booth said he began a Caf (Confederation of African Football) D licence course with Safa three years ago.
Safa’s coaching licences through Caf then stalled as the continental body negotiated to gain parity with Uefa’s coaching licences.
Once they resumed‚ Booth said he struggled to get information from Safa on how to resume his course.
He has chosen to begin a Uefa course in Windhoek‚ scheduled for June‚ though now postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I did my Caf D licence about three years ago‚ and Safa halted everything‚” Booth said. “Apparently Caf was trying to negotiate with Uefa to make the Caf licence equal to the Uefa one‚ and this has taken a number of years.
“Safa stopped all Caf A‚ B and C licence courses while that happened. They recently resumed and I’ve tried to get on the list.
“But I’m tired of having to chase people‚ almost as if you’re asking for favours when in fact it should be a natural progression.
“I don’t want anyone to pay for me or anything like that. All I want is information on it. I’m fed up with chasing people, asking them to have to do me favours‚ with my cap in hand.
“I feel ex-pros should have been put on some sort of a database‚ and given the opportunity to do administration and coaching licences. But that hasn’t happened.
“So I was planning to go and do my Uefa C in Windhoek in June. Which is‚ can you believe it‚ a local course run by the Scottish FA. They were actually doing it in SA‚ but then they got chased out.
“There were a number of SA ex-players keen on going. It’s quite a bit more expensive than the Caf licence but at least it’s better‚ because you can’t work in Europe with the Caf licence.
“It has been something on my mind not only for the coaching but also for the punditry [on TV for SuperSport].”
Booth said he has not made up his mind yet if he wants to be a coach.
“I’m sitting on the fence about coaching‚ and I also need to be prepared for it. I got an offer from an NFD club out of the blue‚ and I had to explain to them that I wasn’t qualified for the job.
“Funny enough the owner said to me: ‘No‚ don’t worry‚ I know the business myself — I would be able to guide you.’ There and then I realised what a lot of coaches have to put up with.
“And that’s not what I want. I want to be my own man.”
Booth’s clubs included Mamelodi Sundowns‚ Ajax Cape Town and Rostov in Russia.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Fed up with Safa, Matthew Booth heads for Namibia
Former Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth plans to take a coaching course in Windhoek because he became so fed up with having to chase after the SA Football Association (Safa) for information on their programme.
Booth said he began a Caf (Confederation of African Football) D licence course with Safa three years ago.
Safa’s coaching licences through Caf then stalled as the continental body negotiated to gain parity with Uefa’s coaching licences.
Once they resumed‚ Booth said he struggled to get information from Safa on how to resume his course.
He has chosen to begin a Uefa course in Windhoek‚ scheduled for June‚ though now postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I did my Caf D licence about three years ago‚ and Safa halted everything‚” Booth said. “Apparently Caf was trying to negotiate with Uefa to make the Caf licence equal to the Uefa one‚ and this has taken a number of years.
“Safa stopped all Caf A‚ B and C licence courses while that happened. They recently resumed and I’ve tried to get on the list.
“But I’m tired of having to chase people‚ almost as if you’re asking for favours when in fact it should be a natural progression.
“I don’t want anyone to pay for me or anything like that. All I want is information on it. I’m fed up with chasing people, asking them to have to do me favours‚ with my cap in hand.
“I feel ex-pros should have been put on some sort of a database‚ and given the opportunity to do administration and coaching licences. But that hasn’t happened.
“So I was planning to go and do my Uefa C in Windhoek in June. Which is‚ can you believe it‚ a local course run by the Scottish FA. They were actually doing it in SA‚ but then they got chased out.
“There were a number of SA ex-players keen on going. It’s quite a bit more expensive than the Caf licence but at least it’s better‚ because you can’t work in Europe with the Caf licence.
“It has been something on my mind not only for the coaching but also for the punditry [on TV for SuperSport].”
Booth said he has not made up his mind yet if he wants to be a coach.
“I’m sitting on the fence about coaching‚ and I also need to be prepared for it. I got an offer from an NFD club out of the blue‚ and I had to explain to them that I wasn’t qualified for the job.
“Funny enough the owner said to me: ‘No‚ don’t worry‚ I know the business myself — I would be able to guide you.’ There and then I realised what a lot of coaches have to put up with.
“And that’s not what I want. I want to be my own man.”
Booth’s clubs included Mamelodi Sundowns‚ Ajax Cape Town and Rostov in Russia.
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