Benni McCarthySomebody please help me understand this… does your talent entitle you to repeatedly give others the middle finger?
Blackburn Rovers and former/ current/ future/ enstranged/ erstwhile Bafana striker Benni McCarthy has double-crossed SAFA (I don’t mind that, they sometimes do it to themselves) and the nation again.
The unpredictable, albeit talented, goalgetter has declared himself available for 2010 but put on his usual arrogant and ambiguous stance as far as availability before then.
The question is: should he be just allowed back and continue to do the in-an-out jamboree simply because he is talented* or should we instil discipline and thereby bring respectability to donning the national kit.
Let’s say he stays out even after Carlos has gone to England to lick his (and Quinton “My Phone Is Off” Fortune boots (as the coach is expected to do in January). We then struggle to qualify for Ghana 2008 and labour our way through the tourney as well scrape through in the Confederations Cup a year later. In the process we manage to make a real striker out of Lungisani Ndlela and the two Katlegos (Mashego and Mphela at Supersport – watch this pair!).
Then in a bid to increase his national appearance quota for permit and usefulness purposes at Blackburn**, our loveable Benni comes with his cheesy ‘I want to play for my kantry (sic – country is what I mean)’ line.
What do we do – accept him because he’s got more experience and a household name? Call him bluff and stick to the (hopefully) now prolific trio I mentioned? Bring him in with conditions?
Methinks it’s unfair to push our home-grown and dedicated personnel in favour of ‘established’ prima-donnas (irregardless of their undoubted talent).
*Talent is one thing but dedication and hard work is another. As most English teams (especially in the near-past) would tell you, teamwork and dying for the course is what counts. Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke were not the smartest crayons in the box but boy did they work hard! In any case, while we cannot doubt the talents of Benni, what has he done to prevent two disgraceful World Cup 1st round exist and non-qualification for 2006 showpiece.
What role to stop the 1996-2006 Afcon rot and downward slide. The mauch vaunted ‘overseas brigade’ have played a more prominent role in the downward slide! So I ask, what use talent and reputation?
**Right now (even though there are signs of a diminish) Benni is at the top at Blackburn and he’s not threatened and he can afford to play truant with the nation. As soon as he’s threatened and the caps dry up, he’ll naturally be available (hence the 2010 pledge) ala Fortune and Bartlett.
Comments please! Especially if you disagree!
By Mkhulu Christopher Rathebe
