Shaun Bartlett: There is no respect for SA coaches

Bartlett guided The Urban Warriors back to the DStv Premiership a year ago, but was shown the door after losing seven matches in a row.

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But the 51-year-old told SABC Sport the club failed in its planning only to make him a scapegoat and then replacing him with a European coach.

 ''For five years it was all about promotion, trying to get to the Premiership and making sure that the club is where it is supposed to be for the environment and also the town itself and when promotion was achieved there was no plan in place. This is the first interview I have done actually post the Spurs, I have not said anything and that was the problem with Cape Town Spurs. Again something I will put on record because some clubs might not want to employ me after this but I find there's big disrespect for South African coaches compared to European coaches, and it is something that was quite evident for me at Cape Town Spurs,'' said Bartlett.

Spurs first moved Irish-born Sean Connor from his role as technical director to head coach before appointing Ernst Middendorp.

Bartlett says it was a bitter pill to swallow seeing things suddenly change.

 ''Whenever we requested finance for acquisitions or something, there were never funds available and yet other people came in and suddenly players were signed and yet those types of things are not given to South African coaches. I went to Cape Town Spurs as an emotional decision, it was never about money, I earned half the salary I earned at Chiefs or 10 years before that. I was about the first club I played for and to get them promoted and obviously to work towards the future. But when there is no future plan in place, there is nothing to work for and that for me was a big issue,'' added Bartlett.

The ex-Kaizer Chiefs and TS Galaxy assistant coach also revealed that the Spurs hierarchy never really had faith he’d secure promotion.

 ''It's always amazing when things are disclosed to you that weren't meant to be. I got information outside the club of Cape Town Spurs where people were at the last game of the season  against Tuks, where we needed the win to get promotion and we didn't get it and senior management said there goes promotion. So there was never a belief that we can actually get through the playoffs because of what has happened in the past,'' concluded Bartlett.

The Urban Warriors have been relegated back to the Motsepe Foundation Championship and re-appointed Middendorp.

Bartlett insists that’s another big U-turn.