Former Bafana Bafana head coach Clive Barker has died
By Neo Poho
Former Bafana Bafana head coach Clive Barker has died after suffering from Lewy Body Dementia.
Barker died on Saturday the 10th of June 2023 after being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in March this year.
Barker's family confirmed his death in a statement on Saturday morning, "It is with profound sadness that the family of former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker announce his passing on Saturday, 10 June after a brave battle with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the medical professionals who cared for Clive over the past six months, he fought a brave battle, and we are relieved 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.
We will provide details of the memorial service in the coming days and ask the family’s privacy be respected at this very difficult time," the statement read.
During his coaching career, Barker led Bafana Bafana to the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations triumph while also leading Durban City to two back-to-back league titles in 1982 and 1983 and the Durban Bush Bucks to the honours in 1985.
The former AmaZulu coach also coached Manning Rangers, Zulu Royals, Santos Cape Town, Bush Bucks, Bidvest Wits and Maritzburg United just to name a few in his illustrious 42 years coaching tenure.
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