Former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker has died at the age of 78 after a battle with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).
The Barker family announced that the legendary Africa Cup of Nations winning coach sadly passed away on Saturday, 10 June in a hospital in Durban o
Clive Barker, who guided Bafana to the 1996 AFCON title on home soil battled the LBD illness for several years.
He was at the helm when SA qualified for their first FIFA World Cup in France. But Barker was replaced six months prior to the global showpiece
And at club level, Clive Barker coached several teams including AmaZulu FC, Black Aces, Bidvest Wits, and Maritzburg United
“It is with profound sadness that the family of former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker announce his passing on Saturday,June 10 after a brave battle with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD),” reads the statement released by the Barker family.
Clive Barker fought a brave battle
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the medical professionals who cared for Clive over the past six months,” the Barker family says. “He fought a brave battle, and we are relieved he is now at peace.
“Clive will be remembered by South Africans for his role in helping to bring a nation together around the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, but for us he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and he will be dearly missed.
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“We have been overwhelmed by the enormous outpouring of love and support for Clive since he was first diagnosed with LBD, and this is a testament to the coach, friend, and mentor he was to not only several generations of footballers but also anyone who crossed his path in the sport he so dearly loved.
“We will provide details of the memorial service in the coming days and ask the family’s privacy be respected at this very difficult time.”