Former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker has hit out at the South African Football Association (Safa), saying it has lost its credibility by signing Joel Santana as a replacement for the departing Carlos Alberto Parreira.

According to the Daily News, Barker feels a more open and transparent selection process should have taken place and that local coaches should have been given the opportunity to lead the national team in view of the 2010 World Cup being the first on African soil.

"By simply replacing one Brazilian coach with another, especially with Santana lacking international experience, is not far off from a job-for-pals scandal," Barker told the newspaper.

"The lack of transparency in hiring the new coach is scandalous," he added. "If Parreira recommends somebody, that does not mean they must just go and hire the guy. It is a slap in the face for the local coaching fraternity."

Barker said the likes of Gavin Hunt at SuperSport United and Gordon Igesund (currently unemployed) should have been considered before Santana, who reportedly is well respected in Brazil, but is now getting his first job as a national coach through Parreira's influence.

To make matters worse, rumour has it that the 59-year-old Santana will earn in 30 months more than he has earned in the past 30 years as a coach.

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