Dear President Kirsten Nematandani

Dear President Kirsten Nematandani

Congratulations on being elected as the President of SAFA for the next coming 4 years. Interestingly, 2010 World Cup falls within your term of office, and Bafana Bafana has no choice but to do the country and the continent proud during that time.

Dillydallying is not my game, so I will shoot straight to the point for I like being plain and simple Mr. President; Bafana Bafana head coach Joel Natalino “forever building” Santana needs to be fired with immediate effect for he has not delivered on his mandate to turn our senior men national squad into world beaters. All Santana did was to turn our Bafana Bafana, that we once been proud of, into world losers. That’s very pathetic Mr. President; don’t you think?

When the former Bafana Bafana head coach Carlos Alberto Parriera left the squad due to situation beyond his control, Bafana Bafana were promising, very much so. Our hopes as the nation were revived for our boys were now playing good, improved and exciting football.

One could notice a positive change in the way our boys played. But then Santana arrived, everything changed from then till now. The change is unfortunately NEGATIVE. We have been loosing too many games Mr. President and South African are not content about that. Our wins on the other hand have not been very convincing at all.

Many soccer commentators, journalists, soccer fanatics, the nation and continent at large would agree with me that Santana failed South Africans, dismally so. His record speaks for itself.

There is very little positive thing that one can say about Santana, except that he refused to include Benny in the national team even after President Zuma and Rhoo called for his come back. So as South Africans, we expect you to do the honourable thing for us Mr. President, to fire him.

The following are Santana’s sins:
• Turning our national squad into world losers of the soccer fraternity
• His questionable team selection criteria
• His technical and tactical abilities that leave much to be desired for he still cant produce a winning combination from a pool of excellent players
• His stubbornness amid exacerbating situation in Bafana Bafana camp; he said he doesn’t need help when everybody thought he needs one
• Undermining PSL coaches through his failure to consult with them on a regular basis
• His record of Bafana’s 6 consecutive loses under his leadership
• For speaking English after winning games, but needed an interpreter when Bafana lost
• I am not a coach, but his timing to make substitution is despicable

Some people think it’s too late to fire him, but I refuse to believe that. I say its not late to fire Santana, we still have time but very limited Mr. President. I, together with many South Africans, are very hopeful about Bafana Bafana’s performance provided they are being led by a credible, tried and tested coach. Some people believe Santana needs help, I refuse to believe that. In fact, he needs to help all South Africans by accepting that he failed and resign.

I know I might be unpopular for what I am about to say but I will say it anyway. Mr. President, if Santana demands a golden handshake when you final put a stop to his contract, do it with pleasure sir. Remember, you will be doing it for the country and yourself a BIG favour.

Please tell him not to be proud and boast that he led Bafana Bafana to the semi finals of the Confederations Cup earlier this year, we all know exactly what transpired. Everybody knows that we owe our gratitude to Iraq for failing to win against New Zealand in their last Group A match, otherwise headlines would have sang a different tune to our ears.

Santana’s reign as Bafana coach is hopefully coming to an end this week whether they win or loose the game against Iceland. Chanting a way forward as a progressive South Africa Mr. President, I would propose that Pitso Mosimane be robed as the head coach.

He can be teamed up with either Gordon or Hunt or both for their record speak volume of what they can deliver and unfortunately the same can not be said by “Mr. Forever Building”. I also propose that players should not get paid for loosing games as its costing the country too much; this will encourage them to give their best in becoming world beaters. I am not abandoning the dream of Bafana Bafana becoming world beaters come 2010 and beyond.

Hopeful South African,
Me (Maro)