Make us support Bafana Bafana please Coach and SAFA (South African Football Association)Bafana Bafana vs. Madagascar – it was like watching an action movie without action. Only drama not even romance to awake you!
I watched the second half of the game… as I was at the salon waiting for someone! I have to say that Madagascar’s team looked like an under 23 side with two regular players. The mood was not good where I was, with people complaining about the team’s way of play and the position of some of the players. I didn’t want to comment as I closely watched Bafana sweat for goals, or should I say a goal?
Judging by what I saw in the second half I believed that we should have used some of those under 20s boys who will be playing in the FIFA World Youth Championship Egypt 2009 for these kinds of games so they can gain experience. I feel that we introduce players at a late stage and we expect them to perform miracles when introduced to Bafana. I believe that’s how you build a team, and continuity will be there when it’s time for the old players to retire with respect.
To me, after watching the Confederations Cup and all these friendly games, it seems like these teams don’t put in all their BEST players - it’s the new and young players facing our very own team who will be playing in the World Cup next year. Look at the squad from Saturday’s game - one wonders why Richard Henyekane was played in the wrong position. Why was Dane Klate put in… in the last 15 minutes of the game like other new players? Why? Why? It seems as if we will be signing this new beautiful word into our vocabulary till 2010, especially when Bafana are playing - “WHY”?
Safa CEO Raymond Hack said Germany and France played badly in their friendly games before their World Cups. Is it right for Mr. Hack to compare us to these great nations? What have we achieved in the last 10 years? True they played badly in their friendly games. Thina we play badly in friendlies and tournaments - and now we are failing to make major tournaments. How can we be compared to Germany or France who won the World Cups and the European Cups?
So Mr. Hack (I will be nice as I had a great weekend, and say Mr. and not use the word "Idiot", originally referred to "layman, person lacking professional skill") and his Safa friends want us to believe that South Africa will do what Germany and France did when the hosted the World Cup? Is this the way to get the nation behind Bafana ahead of this prestigious tournament?
What I see is that Bafana are not even learning anything from these nations. And even more shocking to me, our Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena who is the most capped player in the national team, says the team is learning. Or did he mean HE is learning after the Germany game? If I can write the names of all the players that played or still are playing for Bafana, you will realise that these players should have learned a long time ago... even in their teams.
I believe if you have a weak coach you will have a weak team. What do you expect from a coach who doesn’t know the culture and history of Mzansi football? When was the last time you saw people spin their cars, dance for joy and celebrate a great performance by our believed Bafana? I’ve asked myself who I should blame; Safa, coach or players?
You can disagree with me when I say Mandla Masango, Thulani Serero, Itumeleng Khune, Warren Bishop etc should be the ones who are learning… not the likes of Aaron Mokoena, Teko Modise, Steven Pienaar and company. Those are the senior players who the youngsters should be learning from when wearing that (GREAT) Bafana jersey.
Another debate can come up about whether we have quality or average players in the national team, so we mustn’t complain and only pray for good results. It’s very hard to watch a game that you know very well you are going to lose. The question now is how we are going to lose the game, not how we are going to play the game and where can we improve. How do you lift the spirit of the supporters when things are like this? We get told time and time again to go and support our beloved team, and we come back with the same questions over and over again.
For me, come World Cup 2010 all those friendly games we would have played against those good nations (by name) with weak players, as some of their best players will still be playing in their respected leagues, won’t do good for us. Mr. Hack and company can come on national television again and say whatever, but deep down they all know like me that we are going to that dark tunnel knowing absolutely nothing about what lies there for us… only HOPE!!!
The Desk of Proffesor,
Safa yileSAFA!!
