Come back, Carlos — all is forgiven!

When an interviewer recently asked Springbok ace Francois Steyn what the most frightening experience of his life was, he said it was the moment he was signed by the Sharks, knowing he would have to move to Durban and learn to speak English.

Bafana coach Joel Santana could be forgiven for feeling the same way, but at least he has a permanent interpreter at his side. His difficulty in grasping the English language has no doubt made an incredibly demanding job that much harder.

The Brazilian’s match record – following Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw against Australia – reads one win, two draw and two losses. These results are not exactly dismal, but the reality is they are simply not good enough for a country whose success on the field in just 22 months is crucial to the success of the first World Cup tournament on African soil.

Enter Carlos Parreira. There was a great deal of fanfare about the World Cup winning coach and he was touted as the one person who could get wayward Bafana back on track.

Parreira settled in quickly and asserted his authority from the start. He brushed aside criticisms about his R1.8 million a month salary (“I would get the same money in Brazil. I didn’t come here for the money; I came to work”); how he saw his role (“I am not going to let Safa tell me how to coach Bafana”) and how he planned to turn the team’s fortunes (“through planning, organising and team building”).

The new look squad oozed potential but then an emotional Parreira threw in the towel to return to his wife who was suffering from cancer. It was a bitter blow for everyone who suspected that an extraordinary revival was on the cards.

Safa CEO Raymond Hack might be denying that Parreira fits into Bafana’s future plans, but it’s no secret that he is in regular contact with the Brazilian. So, what’s stopping Parreira from picking up where he left off? The revered coach has reportedly agreed to return early next year to assist Santana after revealing that his wife had undergone successful surgery.

It’s unfair to knock Santana – he is an extraordinary coach (at club level). The Bafana side which contained Australia under his stewardship showed flashes of brilliance (and it was great to see Benni McCarthy behaving on – and off – the park). But the reality is Santana desperately needs some assistance, and who better to provide it than the man who recommended him in the first place?