Stuart Baxter prioritise development in Zambia after beating Angola

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Thursday Mar 22, 2018. 11:30

South African national team coach Stuart Baxter says his mission is not to achieve results, but to develop players at the Four Nations tournament this week.

Bafana Bafana faced Angola on Wednesday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in (Zambia) Ndola andan ran out 7-6 winners following a penalty shootout after the game ended 1-1 to reach the final of the tournament.

“We are choosing to prioritise development,” the coach said.

“To broaden and strengthen the squad. What I want out of this (Four Nations) is that we get some positive signs, both from the players we think are leaders and the ones we think are contenders.

“If we get those positives signs, that will be more valuable to me than winning each game 1-0, scrapping through and not preparing me for what’s going to come up, which is the Afcon qualifiers.

“I would love to be winning the games at this tournament now, but I really want to get a lot of good information that will equip us to go on and have a good qualification. It’s a balancing act because the country wants me to win the games.

“But does the country want the same old same old? I think what we are going to do is a calculated risk. I am hoping we will win and learn.”

South Africa will now face Zambia in the final after they downed Zimbabwe in a penalty shootout in the other semifinal.