South Africa’s Stuart Baxter quits as coach after Africa Cup of Nations flop

Johannesburg: England-born Stuart Baxter has quit as South Africa coach after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

“I feel that I cannot continue to work with the required professionalism and passion as I have done,” the 65-year-old told a press conference at a Johannesburg sports club.

Baxter was widely unpopular with the South African public, while the media welcomed his decision to leave a job reportedly worth $33,500 (Dh122,945) a month.

Although Bafana Bafana stunned Cup of Nations hosts Egypt in the round of 16, they made a timid exit against Nigeria in the quarter-finals.

They had been even more unimpressive at the group stage, losing to Ivory Coast and Morocco and struggling to overcome minnows Namibia.

Previously, Baxter had flopped in an 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, losing four of five matches as South Africa finished bottom of a group won by Senegal.