Attempts to take the South African Football Associations (Safa) over are seemingly far from over and continually intensifying as former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United captain Lucas Radebe expresses his desire to lead the embattled football association to replace president Danny Jordaan.
Radebe is pleading with the Safa leadership to rope him in and give him a chance to lead the once well-run association.
The 54-year-old says he is being pushed from pillar to post in his quest to take over as the association’s president. He is told to go through the structures before being considered.
Aspiring to follow on the footsteps of legendary striker Samuel Eto’o, who is the Cameroonian Football Federation president, Radebe does not understand why he must go through the ranks while other countries have entrusted their legends to lead their associations.
“My question has always been based on the other leaders of football at the global level. Did they go through any structures?” Radede asked during an interview with Sunday World recently.
“For me, having played for the national team makes me part of the structure of football. I have also served in one of the committees, so I don’t know what structure they want me to go to. It defeats the purpose of what we want to achieve, because the only thing we need is to see our football go forward and that will mean giving other people a chance.
“Yes, he [Jordaan] has done well, and we are where we are today because of his hard work but unfortunately the game has evolved – new things are being implemented, new ideas are needed and the best people to do that are former players.
“So, all I am asking for is to be given a chance to also work and go to all the regions with my ideas. I am not asking for any favours but for an opportunity because this is not about me but the future and legacy of our football.”
Jordaan, 72, has been at the helm since 2013 and the local football mother body has since been clouded by controversy relating to financial mismanagement and reported corruption.
