Barker joins Tinkler & Hunt in CAF A Licence course

Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler is set to be enrolled in the CAF A Licence coaching course for the year 2023/24. Together with SuperSport United boss Gavin Hunt and Stellenbosch’s Steve Barker, Tinkler will be in the class for the highly-sought CAF A License.

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The coaching course makes its return to Mzansi following years of waiting and SAFA’s Technical Director Walter Steenbok reveals to the SABC.

Steenbok says the first phase of the CAF A license coaching course will begin this month as it features Hunt, Tinkler, and Barker among others.

Apart from Tinkler and his counterparts, Barker and Hunt, Mamelodi Sundowns will be represented by legend and youth coach Godfrey Sapula.

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BARKER JOINS TINKLER & HUNT IN CAF A LICENCE COACHING COURSE

The South African understands that the DStv Premiership trio will be in class on Monday during the FIFA international break.

Moreover, Tinkler, Hunt, and Barker will be part of 25 coaches who were chosen from a pool of 65 applications.

“There’s been a lot of respect, let alone interest of senior coaches who have shown a lot of humility to come and grace the course,” he told SABC Sport.

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“Gavin Hunt, a multiple championship winner. Eric Tinkler, Bafana [Bafana] stalwart, is also a serial cup winner in South Africa.

“Steven Barker, who will [also] be part of this course. That shows the respect senior coaches have afforded their associations, and of course, CAF, for them to be on this platform.”

HUNT AND TINKLER WILL BE ON THE BENCH FOR CAF GAMES

While City and Tinkler are not part of CAF interclub football this term, Hunt will be able to man the touchline.

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SuperSport are in the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup and his enrollment in the course means he’ll be able to sit on the bench.

This comes after local coaches were barred from sitting on the bench and had to be in the stands due to the lack of this license required in CAF inter-club matches. 

“The priority was always coaches who are in the PSL and also in the NFD. Of course, coaches also in the Hollywoodbets Super League, the technical director of the Tshwane University of Technology Ladies team – Dr Alliance Kubayi – is also there,” adds Steenbok.

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“We also had to look at the Sasol League coaches, ABC Motsepe League coaches, and of course, look at ex-professional players, who’ve continued to want to learn more. So, we then had to accommodate that. 

“It’s a fairly nice group that includes goalkeepers who worked in the Premier League and national team set-up. We’ve also afforded Zambia three spots. 

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“We have a nice memorandum of understanding [with Zambia], most of our coaches have been crossing the border to go to Zambia, to Botswana. We’ve also afforded them three positions there.” 

Hunt, Tinkler, and Barker will be in class for 200 hours between now and the fourth and last phase in June 2024.