Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has confirmed that he is attempting to bring back former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune to the technical team for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 41-year-old Fortune, who earned 46 Bafana caps between 1996 and 2005, has been part of Baxter’s set-up in a temporary assistant coach role in recent years.
He has been previously involved with Bafana, including the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Fortune, who hails from Cape Town and played in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, is also an ambassador for Manchester United, and has completed a number of coaching badges.
The Soccer Laduma website reported on Wednesday that Baxter wants Fortune to be a second assistant, with only SA Under-17 coach Molefi Ntseki helping the Bafana mentor at the moment.
Ex-striker Shaun Bartlett, currently part of the Kaizer Chiefs technical team, has also assisted Baxter at Bafana recently.
“Quinton knows how we work, and he has been here before, and I think he would be a great addition,” Baxter said.
“I would want him to also be a bit of a scout during the Afcon, which is a double role that includes being an assistant coach as well. He is my preferred candidate.”
South Africa open their Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Egypt against Ivory Coast on June 24, followed by their two other Group D fixtures against Namibia and Morocco.