Buco Feature: Clive Barker - MP Black Aces
For some coaches, the journey in the highest ranks of the professional game spans a lifetime. Clive Barker is one such example of a legendary coach who has worked with some of the best young talents ever produced in Mzansi. He is now hard at work transforming the fortunes of Mpumalanga Black Aces as well. In this Buco feature, Barker opens up about some of the top young stars he coached in his long career. 'Sugar Ray' Xulu was an absolute genius "Way back in 1974, I started my coaching career with AmaZulu. At AmaZulu at the time was Cedric 'Sugar Ray' Xulu. He was an absolute genius. When I got hold of him, he was a young emerging talent. He scored the first goal for a South African Black 11. He played on the left-hand side in the old 'W' formation. He was elegant. He had time on the ball. He had the ability to hit long passes and score goals. He was a big role model… bigger than Jomo Sono and some of those names. He set the standard. I think he was born in the wrong era, though." Chelin created and scored goals "Lawrence Chelin was a huge talent. He played in the unofficial South Africa versus Rhodesia game and featured for the first time for Roy Bailey – he coached the team. There was Ace Ntsoelengoe and Stuart Lilley. Jomo was there as well. Of course, they went on to beat that side 7-0. Then they later beat an Argentina touring side 5-0. Chelin played in the middle of the park on the left side. He was very left-footed. Chelin created and scored goals. If he hadn't had the problem he with his knee, he would've done even more. At that time there was very little you could do to fix knee injuries like he had. We were together at Durban City." Petersen was balanced, quick and decisive "In the 1980s, there was my Umtata Bushbucks side that had no peer in SA football at the time. They could play backwards and beat anyone. Even that top Kaizer Chiefs side with Lucas Radebe, Ace Khuse, Neil Tovey and Doctor Khumalo – Bushbucks could play backwards and beat them. I think they lost just one game in winning the league. A young talent like Calvin Petersen was at that stage outstanding. He was balanced, quick, decisive and scored lots of goals. He also played for Bafana Bafana right at the end." Joel 'Fire' Seroba didn't know how to lose "I think a guy like Joel 'Fire' Seroba needs to be mentioned. He was around for a long time. He was hugely competitive. His stunning equaliser for AmaZulu against Orlando Pirates in the Iwisa Spectacular has been shown over and over. He smashed it from about 30 meters out, and the keeper had no chance in goals. He had magnificent strength on the right wing. He was a massive competitor who just didn't know how to lose. He had sheer heart. Look, the team at Bush Bucks were special. Dave Watterson was in goal... he was top class. At the back were Mark Tovey, Ian Chester and Raul Gonzalez – his son, Mark Gonzalez, played for Liverpool. There was also Professor Ngubane and Dennis Wicks in midfield. Daniel Ramarutsi was a special talent. He could run all day. On the wing we had Bennett Gondwe. He had such an educated left foot and played for Malawi. Upfront you had the legendary combination of Petersen and Mike Mangena. I remember we opened Ciskei Stadium against Pirates, and after 20 minutes it was 5-0. We went on to win 7-2 in the end. I mean Mangena scored 25 goals and 15 with his head!" The difference between Shoes and Doctor "Moving into the mid-1990s, I worked with the emerging talent of Doctor Khumalo and Shoes Moshoeu. The difference between them was this – Doctor set up more chances and goalscoring opportunities than Shoes. It was marginal, hey, and I hate to say that one was better than the other, yet if I had to face a firing squad and tell the truth... I'd go with Doctor as the better central midfielder. Look, one of the biggest reasons we won the 1996 Afcon was because of Lucas Radebe as well. The biggest influence was Shoes and Lucas in that tournament. It was amazing because 'Rhoo' had to bounce back from a serious knee injury. I remember I had to deal with his coach, Howard Wilkinson, at Leeds United. He was a very miserable person. I remember he phoned me and asked for my help. He said, "I need you to help me make a decision." He asked me to pick between Lucas and Phil Masinga at Leeds. I mean, they were both top players and were friends of mine. He added, "I have to pick one and let one go." I said he must keep Lucas. He did that, although Phil went on to have a great career in Italy. He scored against AC Milan and Inter Milan. Of course, Lucas also enjoyed a fantastic career at Leeds as well in the end. How I found Andile Jali… "Another emerging striking talent that I had at AmaZulu was George Dearnaley. He ended up as leading goalscoring in the league. He was a terrific finisher, you know. George was able to put himself around and score vital goals. He helped win us the trophy in 1992 when we beat Kaizer Chiefs in the Coca-Cola Cup final. It's the only final Usuthu have ever won. Later, I won something in my first year with Santos. The talent then was Nasief Morris. The one that I lay claim to is Andile Jali. I found him and he is a household name now. He played for Orlando Pirates. I thought he was going to be Bafana captain. I would've made him captain because of his ability to lead people. I spotted Jali at trials that Coca-Cola had. He was playing for a team that was losing, but he was miles ahead of everyone. There was a free-kick just outside the box and I said to someone I was sitting with, "Watch him curl this into the back of the net." He duly bent it in. I got his name and forwarded it to my nephew, Steve Barker, at Tuks. He did well there before having great success at Bucs. Who knows where he would've been today had I not been there that day." Zwane looks a bit like Shoes "Themba Zwane is a magnificent talent. I had him here at Black Aces. He can step off either foot with great balance. He has a great change of pace and can score goals. I think, of anyone I've ever coached, he looks a bit like Shoes. He is certainly as elegant as Shoes. I don't think he is as good as Shoes just yet, but it's difficult to be as good as Shoes at any given time." Go to BUCO and meet soccer star Steve "Chippa" Lekoelea on 29 November 2014 between 10:00 – 12:00. Get the home ground advantage at BUCO Komatipoort – Polokwane. Score with BUCO. Hardware Buildware.
