Departures no longer a valid excuse for Steve Barker at Stellenbosch

The wheels appear to be slowly coming off for Steve Barker. And instead of rescuing the situation, the Stellenbosch coach is starting to sound like a broken record.

Former Stellenbosch reserve league defender Tylon Smith made the finalists’ list for the CAF Young Player of the Year after winning Player of the Tournament en route to Amajita’s maiden Youth Championship title, and reaching the knockout stages at the recent U20 World Cup in Chile.

While Barker lauded the 20-year-old’s achievements - which include signing for English Championship side Queens Park Rangers after his exploits with Amajita in Morocco - during an exclusive interview with Soccer Laduma, he went on to say: “But there’s always a little tinge of, ‘Maybe it would be nice to have him for a year or two.’”

You see, it’s not the first time Barker has used that subtle reasoning for their shortcomings this season. When they lost the MTN8 final to Orlando Pirates in Mbombela, he said seeing players such as Sihle Nduli doing well for their rivals was a double-edged sword.

While he was pleased with their growth and seamless adaptation at Pirates, he couldn’t help but feel that Stellenbosch’s fortunes might be slightly different if he had kept him - and others - for a season or two.

So, his constant reference to the departure of emerging talent or regulars is starting to border on excuses. It’s beginning to appear that Barker is losing the Midas touch that previously saw him replace departed stars by either integrating other youngsters into the team or luring undervalued players from their respective clubs.

Those formulas haven’t been effective since the start of the current season. While Stellies may have qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage for the second season in a row, they have stuttered in their domestic campaign.

They lost to Pirates in the MTN8 and were humiliated 4–0 by Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout quarter-final. Moreover, their Betway Premiership campaign - where their bread is buttered - hasn’t been up to scratch. They are 15th on the log with just nine points from a possible 36.

Barker said they wanted to use the recent FIFA break to reflect on their domestic shortcomings and try to find solutions ahead of the final stretch of the year before the AFCON recess.

But it doesn’t seem they’ve done much of that. Instead, they have reportedly placed two senior players, Bradley Mojela and Lesiba Nku, on the transfer list - a few weeks before the January window opens.

Sure, Stellies have shown in previous years that they take issues such as discipline and professionalism, on and off the pitch, very seriously, having let go of former Kaizer Chiefs players Darryl Matsheke and Kgaogelo Sekgota after failing to conform to their standards and expectations.

So, to some degree, it’s safe to assume that Mojela and Nku may not have met the club’s standards and protocols on and/or off the field. They certainly didn’t meet them on the field due to underwhelming performances.

But be that as it may, the club’s timing to place the duo on the transfer list and block them from training is rather questionable. Barker needs all hands on deck, and having such figures around the team at least until the end of the year might have done them a world of good - unless they truly felt the situation was irreparable.

On Sunday Stellies begin their Caf Confederation Cup group stage by hosting Congolese side Otoho d'Oyo.

Stellies have a tough return to continental football on Sunday against AS Otohô of Congo at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium. The outcome of the clash might not only shape their intentions for the rest of the group stage, but also influence their overall fortunes this season.

That’s why Barker must ease up on the excuses about how “things may have been different if they had held on to so-and-so” and instead try to rediscover the formula they once used to replace departed talismans. After all, he has long known that they are a selling club, even though they have the richest owner - not only in the league, but in the country.