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Clive Barker’s death at the age of 78 on Saturday took to five the number of members who have passed on from Bafana Bafana team that won the Africa Cup of Nations title in 1996.
Defender Sizwe Motaung and midfielders John Moshoeu and John Moeti and striker Phil Masinga are the four other members who have passed on from the team that famously defeated Tunisia at the old FNB Stadium.
That celebrated victory remains Bafana’s only major tournament triumph.
In a statement, the family of “The Dog”, as Barker was affectionately known, said Barker died after a battle with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).
The family said Barker fought a brave battle and they are relieved that he is now at peace.
“Clive will be remembered by South Africans for his role in helping to bring a nation together around the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, but for us he was a loving husband, father and grandfather, and he will be dearly missed.
“We have been overwhelmed by the enormous outpouring of love and support for Clive since he was first diagnosed with LBD, and this is a testament to the coach, friend and mentor he was to not only several generations of footballers, but also anyone who crossed his path in the sport he so dearly loved.”
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LBD is a disease associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain whose changes, in turn, can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood.
In January, soccer governing body and his former employer Safa said Barker was admitted to a Durban hospital where he was treated after “suffering an aneurysm”, which affected blood flowing from his heart. Safa said at the time that Barker recently underwent an operation to restore normal flow through his aorta, the main artery that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.
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It was reported in March that Barker was diagnosed with LBD.
The family said details of the memorial service will be revealed in the coming days and asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.
Barker became a professional footballer in the 1960s, playing for Durban City and Durban United having made his debut at the age of 17. After his playing days, Barker took up coaching in the 1970s, coaching numerous clubs through the 1980s and early 1990s, including Durban City, Manning Rangers, AmaZulu and Santos Cape Town.
He was appointed Bafana Bafana head coach in 1994 after the team was reinstated to compete internationally after the fall of apartheid.
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He quit in December 1997, before the team could compete in the World Cup finals, after a poor showing at the Confederations Cup the previous year. After that, Barker became a journeyman coach in the PSL from the early 2000s until South Africa won the rights to host the 2010 World Cup. During that time, he coached the likes of Bush Bucks, AmaZulu, Manning Rangers, Santos, Zulu Royals, Wits and Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Barker was a television commentator for host broadcaster SABC during the 2010 World Cup.
His last coaching job was at Aces, where he coached from 2013 to 2015 before returning to AmaZulu as technical director for a few years.
Safa president Danny Jordaan said in a statement that the passing of the legendary coach was a huge blow.
"He made a major contribution to South African football. He managed to build a strong administration for the team, the captains and the players of that side. It is no a wonder that virtually every single one of those players were signed by the top clubs in Europe.
"This made him the only coach that had the entire Bafana Bafana team composed of foreign-based players, and playing in the best leagues in Europe. Clive has been a people’s person and may his soul rest in peace.”
