Philippe Troussieris not a name fondly remembered by many Bafana Bafana fans.
The Frenchman’s time with the South African men’s national soccer team left many unanswered questions. Troussier has a decorated resume, having coached eight national teams and 14 different clubs over his illustrious 40-year coaching career.
Having led Burkina Faso to the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, Philippe Troussier was surprisingly appointed as the Bafana coach just weeks before the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He replaced caretaker coach Jomo Sono, who had helped South Africa reach the final of the continental tournament earlier that year.
This decision infuriated South African football lovers, who preferred Sono to remain or at least be replaced by 1996 AFCON-winning coach Clive Barker. Philippe Troussier’s tenure with Bafana was disastrous, as the team was knocked out in the group stages of the World Cup, failing to win a single game. He was fired immediately after the tournament before joining the Japan national soccer team.
In a 2020 interview with Kick-Off, the French coach admitted his mistakes during the 1998 World Cup: “I was used to building a united, aggressive, and efficient team. But over time, I can now understand that this management style could hurt players and create the impression of pretending to be an ugly Afrikaner.”
Where is Philippe Troussier today?
After leaving Bafana, Troussier found success with the Japanese national team. During his four years in charge, the Samurai Blue reached the last 16 in the 2002 FIFA World Cup on home soil. His stint with Japan was the longest of his coaching career; after that, he became a journeyman.
Last year, Philippe Troussier’s time as Vietnam coach ended after only a year in charge, following back-to-back defeats to regional rivals Indonesia in World Cup qualifying. It was Vietnam’s first home defeat to Indonesia in nearly 20 years, leading angry home fans to chant for the 69-year-old to be sacked.
How bad was Troussier?
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