Williams, Bartlett remember 'Coach Clive' as jokester and football mastermind

Former Bafana Bafana strikers Mark Williams and Shaun Bartlett fondly remember the late Clive Barker's sense of humour, his mentorship and the football mastermind behind their Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 1996.

Earlier this year, Barker's family revealed his heart-wrenching struggle with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), a cruel degenerative condition.

READ: 'He ran like a flight about to take off': Class of '96 lead tributes to late Clive Barker

This progressive form of dementia mercilessly chips away at cognitive ability and independence.

Despite undergoing treatment for a life-threatening aneurysm hindering his heart's blood flow, Barker's health took an unforeseen turn. Tragically, he succumbed to the relentless grip of LBD months later at the age of 78.

Known by the moniker, "The Dog", Barker rose to prominence as a manager in the 1970s and oversaw South African teams such as Durban City, Durban Bush Bucks, Manning Rangers, AmaZulu (Zulu Royals) and Santos.

He clinched two league championships and two league cups throughout his club career.

However, his indelible mark was etched in South African sporting memory when he led Bafana Bafana to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations of 1996, the first and only triumph to date, just two years after the country had embraced democracy.

Williams, who scored the winning goals in a second-half cameo off the bench against Tunisia in the final, remembers clearly the good times with Barker, and more so the time the coach defeated him in a game of pool.

Throughout the Afcon tournament, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker was, as he tells it, the pool champion whom no one could beat.

A day before the Afcon final, Barker did.

"When we were in camp, there was a pool table and all the