Div feeling a bit 'useless'
Peter de Villiers said he feels a bit “useless” now that he is unemployed and unwanted.
The controversial former Springbok coach, who was known more for his many public faux pas than his coaching ability, has been unable to find employment since his contract with the South African Rugby Union ended at the end of 2011.
His agent, Hilton Houghton, confirmed to this website that they are “looking abroad” for opportunities.
“He [De Villiers] has his book coming out soon,” Houghton told this website.
“We are looking at the international market,” the agent said, adding that he is “only mandated to look internationally” and not involved in securing a domestic position for De Villiers.
But De Villiers, acting on his own accord and desperate to remain involved in the game, revealed he has approached SARU for a local job, but has had no response.
De Villiers, who admitted at the end of his tenure that he was heavily influenced in his decision making by senior players like Victor Matfield and John Smit, beat the B&I Lions and won the 2009 Tri-Nations tournament.
However, the team was knocked out in the quarterfinal of last year’s World Cup -equalling South Africa’s worst performance at the global showpiece – and managing a barely passable 62 percent in the winners’ column.
De Villiers felt he should be more in demand, saying the experience he gained during his four-year tenure could be utilised for the benefit of the game in South Africa.
“I feel a bit useless at the moment,” he told Eyewitness News Sport.
“I’m sitting back home and nobody shows interest in trying to draw from the experience that I do have,” he added.
He revealed that he approached SARU over a possible role working with club coaches, but has yet to hear back from his former employers.
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EWN Sport also posted on their twitter page that De Villiers had received no response from SARU about the matter.
“#Boks Peter de Villiers says that he hasn’t heard back from #SARU yet over his proposal of working with club coaches,” EWN Sport tweeted.
SARU Chief Executive Jurie Roux was not immediately available to comment on De Villiers’ claims.
De Villiers, 54, was named as the coach of South Africa’s national team in controversial fashion in January 2008, the first-ever non-white to be appointed to the position.
SARU President Oregan Hoskins admitted that De Villiers’ appointment was for “reasons other than rugby”, confirming that politics had played a role.
“We have made the appointment and taken into account the issue of transformation when we made it,” Hoskins said, adding: “I don’t think that tarnishes Peter; I’m just being honest with our country.”
De Villiers was short-listed for the role along with three other candidates, including successful Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer – who was this year named to replace De Villiers as Bok mentor.
By Jan de Koning
