Newly appointed South Africa manager Stuart Baxter has assured that Bafana Bafana will be ready for 2018 African of Nations qualifying tie against Nigeria.
Speaking for the first time since his appointment, Baxter said: “Nigeria away is a big challenge for us and with very little preparation. But I’ve prepared, and I hope we will be ready for it. I’ve been reading about them and I know they’ve been in France for a camp.
“By the time we go there, I know we will be prepared and we will give them a tough game.”
Baxter, who is on a five-year contract with the mandate to lead Bafana Bafana to next year’s World Cup in Russia, as well as to the 2022 tournament to be hosted by Qatar was pleased that there seems to be a better sense of teamwork in football than there was when he initially arrived.
“I thought long and hard about coming back, and when I spoke to Danny (Jordaan), I realised that the work is starting and that’s why I decided to come back,” Baxter said on Monday afternoon at Safa House.
“Vision 2022 has already started, and that was one of the reasons I decided to come back.
“Just as back when I came for the first time, I believe the nation has good players for us to be competitive, and I have belief in my ability to coach any group of players – whether Swedish, Japanese or South African – and get the best out of them.”