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South Africa's Sports Minister: Makhenkesi Stofile
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South Africa's Sports Minister has urged outspoken Springbok coach Peter de Villiers to get a spokesman after another bout of controversial comments infuriated officials..
"Goodness man! Get yourself a spokesperson!" Afrikaans daily Die Burger quoted minister Makhenkesi Stofile as advising the embattled coach.
"Even I don't always understand what he says," he added.
De Villiers sparked outrage last week for saying the Springboks extended "100 per cent" support to Jacobus 'Bees' Roux, a Blue Bulls prop accused of beating a Pretoria policeman to death.
"It's disgraceful to say that you support someone 100 per cent when he possibly took another person's life in such a brutal manner," said Stofile.
The minister said he had advised the embattled coach, who led a disastrous Tri-Nations campaign that end with South Africa bottom of the table, to get a media spokesman at his appointment in 2008 to coach the two-time world champions.
"I repeat that request today. With the kind of questions the media asks, I said that he would be sorry about something he said one day. You need special skills when talking to the media. And Peter is a man who loves to talk," he said.
"Today we are embarrassed and angry about what he said.
"Peter, please don't expose yourself to the media like that."
SARU president Oregan Hoskins has said the Boks' woeful Tri-Nations performance will be reviewed this month and that formal discussions will be held with the coach over his comments.
However, De Villiers is no stranger to controversy.
A SANZAR misconduct charge was dropped last month over his suggestion that his team were the victims of a conspiracy to help the All Blacks.
The coach was also forced to apologise during last year's British and Irish Lions tour after appearing to condone rough play by responding to an eye-gouging ban, by saying tutus could be bought at the nearest ballet shop.
Stofile suggested that De Villiers should perhaps stick to his mother tongue Afrikaans if not comfortable in English.
Comments
darthbok says...
the thing is that in the current affirmative action climate in SA , once appointed no `black` person can be sacked without doing something terribly wrong(backing a drunk killer is fine tho) -so I suspect PDV to stay and be `promoted` out of trouble - and a reshuffle of the coaching staff -letting jake white back would be a catastrophic admission of failure -and the sports minister(et al) would rather the springboks bomb out than admit to a poor appointment and eat humble pie - viva la revolution
Posted 13:29 10th September 2010
boknigh says...
Stofile....what have you achieved lately (in the past 6 years). Our olympic teams were so successful under your watch. Oh right they weren't. Your report card sux!! Sit down and shut up.
Posted 05:41 10th September 2010
abrad says...
given the current bill for curbing press freedom in SA it is extremely likely that reporters will only be allowed to say good things about PdV and Stofile.
Posted 06:27 09th September 2010
Nicholas41 says...
Jake White could be his spokesman. To the press, to the fans, the coaches, the players...
But keep PDV as 'coach', of course.
Posted 21:46 08th September 2010
Clinton says...
The very same people who forced the appointment of PDV onto SA Rugby are now pretending to be embarrassed and angry at him...?? You politicians should've known from the start that appointing someone solely for the colour of his skin would never work at this level of sport. Pieter de Villiers is by far the most inadequate and under-performing coach that we've had eversince Apartheid was scrapped. We as rugby supporters never had any problem with it if a newly appointed coach was any other race. You knew as well as all of us that Allistair Coetzee is by far one of our best coaches. But you chose to ignore him even though he applied for the job after Jake White was sacked. Why? Because Allistair Coetzee would never allow politicians to influence and intimidate him! Pieter de Villiers on the other hand, is like a piece of clay. You can mould him just the way you want. Shame on you Mr Stofile for trying to distance yourself now. You got what you wanted. You baked the cake. Now you have to eat it!
The editor says.... Careful Clinton..."Pieter de Villiers" is the former Stade Fran┐s and France prop. "Peter" is the current Springbok coach.
Posted 14:55 08th September 2010
boris says...
PDV, the best thing to happen to SA rugby, from this kiwis perspective ;-)
Posted 14:30 08th September 2010