The dog's warning to Teko: Don't blow it!

CLIVE Barker has warned troubled midfield general Teko Modise that his actions might turn football supporters against him.

When Barker, the former Bafana Bafana coach who led the Africa Cup of Nations champions in 1996, talks you listen. Modise, the darling of Orlando Pirates fans, must do the same.

"Supporters could quickly turn on him," warned Barker yesterday. "The paying public might turn their backs on him as happened with (Carlos) Tevez overseas. He has to work hard because no one will lick his backside."

"The Dog", as Barker is known, also said he would not pick Teko for the national team if he were in coach Pitso Mosimane's shoes.

"I would not pick him at all. I think he needs to start working hard because he is a good footballer. The sad part is that two years ago Teko was the golden boy of SA football.

"He was certainly the best in the country - but life goes on, with or without him."

Barker still rates Modise highly: "He is definitely a great footballer. I enjoy watching him play and there is no substitute for class. If you watched our (AmaZulu) game against (Lamontville Golden) Arrows, you'd have seen that Collins Mbesuma is still a class player. He was like an orchestra player and I believe Teko can still bounce back."

His advice to Modise was "do not let this opportunity pass you by".

"All footballers come to the end of their careers but he must not shorten his stay in the game."

Modise has been suspended by Pirates and his chances of making the Bafana Bafana squad to play against Burkina Faso on February 8 are remote.

Mosimane, who is finalising his squad for the game scheduled for Rustenburg, was not available for comment.

Modise's disciplinary hearing looks set to drag on for days if not weeks after Pirates launched an investigation into the claim that there was a break-in at his house.