Jordaan Reacts To Notoane Resignation

SAFA president Danny Jordaan has reacted to the resignation of coach David Notoane who raised his concerns about the challenges of the SA U23 coaching role.

Notoane said he worked with SAFA with no contract, adding the failure to qualify for the CAF U23 AFCON in June and July, where the top three will qualify for the France Olympic Games next year, there was no support from SAFA and the PSL.  

SA U23 side got eliminated by Congo Brazzaville over the two legs, losing 1-1 on aggregate based on the away-goal rule after failing to score away following a 1-1 in Mzansi in the first leg.

That was the end of the journey for the Notaone’s boys, and the Mamelodi Sundowns development coach decided to step away, saying preparations for those games were not up to his liking and he didn’t even have a contract.

Jordaan said he should have raised his concerns before he took over the post and added that as an association they will not be critical of Notoane.  

“When did he [Notoane] discover that, after or losing or when?” asked Jordaan.

“One of the things we don’t do, we don’t criticize coaches and you don’t criticize the players and therefore it is important that, when the coach has issues, he must raise them with us.

“It makes no sense that you appoint the coach and you give him no support. No sense.

“But, as far as camps are concerned, the U23 players are actually playing full time – either in the PSL or in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

“So you cannot have camps as when you want, but only on the international break and that is the only something, even us, FIFA and CAF that don’t do in putting the U23 in the same window of the senior team, Banyana or Bafana in their space because there is an U23 player, like Cassius Mailula, who could help that team. But now the Bafana coach [Hugo Broos] also wants him in his senior team.

“He may or may not play because it is the same window for both U23s and the senior team. Every coach knows that when it comes to U23 and senior players, you cannot camp outside the international window because clubs will not release the players.”               

Failure to qualify for the CAF U23 AFCON in Morocco meant that SA U23 will not be qualifying for the fourth Olympics and third on the trot.