Factors /Reasons(B) Personal factors - Primary reason being attitude, local players lack right attitude which enables one to survive or make it in the rigorous top European leagues.
That attitude being commitment, seriousness, willingness to learn and integrate, laziness, being in a comfort zone locally, excuses, that is, complaining about home sickness which they claim it affects their performance and maximum utilisation of their skills and talent (Steve Lekoalea, once got a team in Holland, Feyennord, however he returned prematurely due to homesickness and that, as well, was one of the reasons Tso Vilakazi returned). Ill-discipline was the cause of OJ Mabizela and Jabu “Pule” Mahlangu, to name but a few, in not making it overseas after brilliant performances locally and for the national squad.
(C) Financial factors - In economics, these are called supply side factors .In essence, it means local players are becoming financially stable given the way our football has been receiving huge amounts of investments and sponsorships in the form of corporate sponsorships through tournaments (Telkom cup, ABSA Premiership and so forth), TV rights deals, all this emanating from the 2010 world cup hype which has attracted a lot of global attention. Since our football has been globalised, our players are now able to get endorsements and persona; sponsorships just like bo-Beckham and Ronaldinhos as a result the need and desire to go overseas is no longer enticing due to this financial independence by the local players.
Mr. Motsepe - factor he has a role to play as well in this supply side factors cause the more the player becomes good, the better he can make a choice of either going overseas or going to be on Motsepe’s payroll as he deems it equally financially fulfilling as the overseas deal (and that as well can eliminate the homesickness factor).
This financial independence has put players in the comfort zones, in terms of seeking overseas deals. Only players who need to sharpen their techniques, global exposure and need challenges are still interested in going overseas (Kagiso Dikgacoi).
On the contrary, the demand for European money still exist, to the extent that unscrupoulas agents rush unprepared players overseas, in order to line up their pockets with fat commissions, resulting in a player failing to crack it or making an impact in Europe cause he wasn’t ready when the agent took him there.
Conclusion - All is not lost, hopefully after the World Cup, after all this vibe and hype, reality will set in and normality will hopefully be restored as players will find themselves again, European culture and way of doing things will have been adopted, thus enabling our development structures to improve and take a leap, allowing local player’s transition and integration to top European leagues to be smoother.
In comparison and consolation, not only South Africa is suffering from this pathetic and sad state of affairs, but the whole of S.A.D.C region. How many players from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and so forth are playing in the top European leagues? It makes one wonder! Anyway, one see a light at the end of the tunnel, probably after 5 years, we’ll be singing a different with regard to this issue.
All we can do now is to pledge our full, non conditional support to those who are currently raising our flag in the top European leagues and hope those who are playing in the mediocre and weaker Europeans can graduate to those stronger leagues (bo Benni, Nasief, Pienaar, Mbazo, Sibaya, Nkosi , Fernandez, Benjani, Isaac Chansa , Katongo, Bryce Moon, Paulse, Fransman, Booth, Sibaya, Masilela and so forth), that will in turn enhance our S.A.D.C national squads, if our players are doing well in Europe.
Adios!!
Sthembiso
"The Return of the General"
