Swallows tense about coaching issue

Igesund and current Bafana Bafana caretaker coach Steve Komphela are the two remaining candidates for the national team head coach job.   With Igesund having emerged as the football fraternity's popular choice, Swallows have every reason to be worried that they could lose the man who took them to within two points of winning the League last season, after rescuing them from possible relegation the previous year.   "This is a very difficult time for us," admits Prins.   The Dube Birds return to pre-season training on Monday uncertain if Igesund will stay with them for the season though they have a capable back-up in Zeca Marques, who is currently the assistant coach.    The nature of Igesund's contract with Swallows has also been kept a closely-guarded secret.    "This is a difficult situation that we will have to deal with when it happens. The thing is there is nothing we can do about it right now because it is beyond our control so we just have to wait and see what happens. It is really difficult," says Prins.   After emerging as the top two candidates out of the initial five, Igesund and Komphela will now make a final presentation to the Safa National Executive Committee on June 30.   Safa are planning to have a new coach appointed immediately, in order for him to start working well ahead of the next international friendly, to be played in early September, which is the next Fifa calendar date.   Bafana will capitalise on the open Fifa dates in September – which the rest of the continent will use for the final of 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers – by playing friendly matches against top opposition before playing Poland on October 12.    Another friendly match against Zambia on November 14 is already confirmed, which will form part of a long list of up to eight friendly matches that Bafana will play before the Afcon finals kick off in January next year, meaning the new coach will be kept busy.