'We’ll see about that' - Kaizer Chiefs legend Tovey open to PSL return after Safa exit

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The experienced coach is returning to Durban after spending the last five years in Johannesburg

Bafana Bafana legend Neil Tovey has opened up about his imminent departure from the South African Football Association (Safa).

The 57-year-old has been serving as the Safa technical director for the last five years and his contract is set to expire at the end of this month.

Safa are known to be struggling financially having recently announced that their staff will take a pay cut.

In January 2020, Safa parted ways with American sportswear giants Nike, who was their technical sponsor.

Their other sponsors, South African Airways (SAA) and Burger King have reportedly been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and Tovey understands why his contract will not be renewed.

“Obviously, Safa got to cut down their expenditure,” Tovey was quoted as saying on Daily Sun.

“But at the same time, it is time for me to come back home [Durban].

“It was just a mutual understanding. I finished my five-year term there, they took care of me and there were no problems."

Tovey is open to coaching in the PSL having taken charge of Gauteng giants Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs in the past.

“When it comes to coaching, we’ll see about that, if there are clubs interested in me,” the former AmaZulu FC and Durban City FC player said.

The retired central defender began his coaching career at Chiefs where he served as a player-assistant coach during the 1998/99 campaign.

Nicknamed Mokoko (Cock), Tovey was in charge of Sundowns during the 2000/01 season after retiring from professional football.

Coaching stints at AmaZulu and Hellenic then followed between 2001 and 2004, before he returned to Sundowns in 2005.

The Pretoria-born legend guided Masandawana to the 2005/06 PSL title with Argentine tactician Miguel Gamondi as co-coach.

However, Tovey was dismissed by the Tshwane giants after a slow start to the 2006/07 season and he returned to AmaZulu where he served as the head coach during the 2009/10 campaign.

He had spells with now-defunct Mpumalanga Black Aces and Thanda Royal Zulu between 2010 and 2012, before being appointed Safa technical director in 2015.

He led Bafana to the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title as the national team captain and he played 52 international matches for South Africa.

2020-06-28 23:00:04

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