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South Africa’s National Soccer team, Bafana Bafana, needs leadership.
The route from hero to zero is a pretty short one. And Bafana Bafana have learnt this the hard way over the past week. Feted as national heroes for ensuring the Nelson Mandela Challenge trophy stayed in South Africa courtesy of a fortuitous last minute 2-1 win over Norway, Joel Santana and his boys were quick to reclaim their rightful status as over-rated zeros when they succumbed 2-0 to Portugal.
It was a spectacular change, the spirited Bafana who fought their way to victory at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenburg meekly surrendering to a Portuguese outfit that never really raised a sweat. The discerning soccer fan, though, would not have been surprised. For while Bafana did well to win the match against Norway, there was nothing in their play last Saturday to suggest they should be elevated to the ranks of world-beaters. “The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup will also test South Africa’s total infrastructure in terms of airports, transport, restaurants and overall accommodation facilities,” said Robert Wilson, CEO of traveinsouthafrica.net.
Valcke said after the win over Norway that we would struggle if we were to play against top sides. He was vindicated only three days later as a star-struck Bafana succumbed to give their former coach, Carlos Quieroz, an "I told you so" moment. With only the friendly against Poland left before the FIFA Confederations Cup, which begins in South Africa on 14 June, it is fast becoming evident that we're headed for embarrassment - if not disaster. Shakes Mashaba, the former Bafana coach now in charge of Swaziland, also seems to think so. "We're going to have to do something drastic if we want to make an impact at the Confederations Cup," he said. "We are far from being ready to take on the top teams and should get the boys straight into camp at the end of the Premiership season to prepare for the tournament."
Mashaba said he was particularly disappointed that Bafana still could not compete with organised teams.
"It is almost a given now that once we play against countries that are technically sound we will not win. Portugal allowed us to have the ball only in our own half and we danced about aimlessly. Yet they took just a few touches to get to our box." The biggest failing, Mashaba said, was that we lacked a leader - particularly at the back. "All those boys at the back don't have heart. We need a commander in the Steve Komphela or Neil Tovey mould, someone who can play but also marshal his team mates." He also believes our players lack the character to compete at the highest level and feels our midfield is too individualistic; Itumeleng Khune was "too haphazard" Can Santana fix all this and more before the Confederations Cup? o This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on April 03, 2009
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South Africa’s National Soccer team, Bafana Bafana, needs leadership.
The route from hero to zero is a pretty short one. And Bafana Bafana have learnt this the hard way over the past week. Feted as national heroes for ensuring the Nelson Mandela Challenge trophy stayed in South Africa courtesy of a fortuitous last minute 2-1 win over Norway, Joel Santana and his boys were quick to reclaim their rightful status as over-rated zeros when they succumbed 2-0 to Portugal.
It was a spectacular change, the spirited Bafana who fought their way to victory at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenburg meekly surrendering to a Portuguese outfit that never really raised a sweat. The discerning soccer fan, though, would not have been surprised. For while Bafana did well to win the match against Norway, there was nothing in their play last Saturday to suggest they should be elevated to the ranks of world-beaters. “The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup will also test South Africa’s total infrastructure in terms of airports, transport, restaurants and overall accommodation facilities,” said Robert Wilson, CEO of traveinsouthafrica.net.
Valcke said after the win over Norway that we would struggle if we were to play against top sides. He was vindicated only three days later as a star-struck Bafana succumbed to give their former coach, Carlos Quieroz, an "I told you so" moment. With only the friendly against Poland left before the FIFA Confederations Cup, which begins in South Africa on 14 June, it is fast becoming evident that we're headed for embarrassment - if not disaster. Shakes Mashaba, the former Bafana coach now in charge of Swaziland, also seems to think so. "We're going to have to do something drastic if we want to make an impact at the Confederations Cup," he said. "We are far from being ready to take on the top teams and should get the boys straight into camp at the end of the Premiership season to prepare for the tournament."
Mashaba said he was particularly disappointed that Bafana still could not compete with organised teams.
"It is almost a given now that once we play against countries that are technically sound we will not win. Portugal allowed us to have the ball only in our own half and we danced about aimlessly. Yet they took just a few touches to get to our box." The biggest failing, Mashaba said, was that we lacked a leader - particularly at the back. "All those boys at the back don't have heart. We need a commander in the Steve Komphela or Neil Tovey mould, someone who can play but also marshal his team mates." He also believes our players lack the character to compete at the highest level and feels our midfield is too individualistic; Itumeleng Khune was "too haphazard" Can Santana fix all this and more before the Confederations Cup? o This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on April 03, 2009
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