Steve Barker’s Simba SC move could be his audition for the Kaizer Chiefs job – among others
Tanzanian club Simba SC claim they've appointed Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker.
Image: BackpagePix
Tanzanian outfit Simba SC shocked everyone last Friday when they announced that Stellenbosch FC’s Steve Barker will be their new head coach.
Barker was seen as something of an institution in the Cape Winelands after joining the club in 2017 and turning their fortunes around. For the past couple of seasons, they’ve been one of the more consistent teams in the Betway Premiership and have challenged for honours.
Despite doing well with the club, Barker’s name has never been mentioned when big jobs are available. It is unfortunate, as he is one of the most accomplished head coaches in South African football.
As strange as it sounds, his move to Simba SC – who compete in the CAF Champions League and are one of Tanzania’s biggest clubs – will make him more visible to the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, who tend to look abroad when vacancies arise.
If he does well in Tanzania, he could even find himself in the running to succeed Hugo Broos when he retires as Bafana Bafana head coach, an appointment that could see him walking in the footsteps of his famous uncle, Clive Barker.
Simba SC, however, represent a very different challenge to Stellenbosch. The Dar es Salaam giants operate in a high-pressure environment where domestic success is often taken for granted and continental progress is the true benchmark of achievement.
Like the bigger clubs in South Africa, they have a passionate fanbase and significant expectations, meaning Barker will have little time to settle before results are demanded.
The club have made no secret of their ambition to establish themselves as a dominant force in African football, and Barker’s appointment suggests a belief that his structured, disciplined approach can translate to success beyond South Africa’s borders.
How quickly he adapts to a new football culture, unfamiliar travel demands and the demands of the CAF Champions League will go a long way in shaping perceptions of his suitability for elite roles.
More importantly, success in Tanzania would place Barker firmly in the shop window for South Africa’s biggest jobs. Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have routinely looked abroad when searching for head coaches, while Mamelodi Sundowns have shown little hesitation in doing the same. A strong run with Simba, particularly in continental competition, would make it increasingly difficult for local decision-makers to overlook his credentials.
There is also a longer-term national team angle. With Hugo Broos expected to retire after the World Cup, Barker could emerge as a credible candidate when succession planning begins in earnest. In that sense, his move to Simba is an opportunity to prove, on a bigger stage, that South Africa may already have the coach it has been searching for elsewhere.
IOL Sport
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