A Lesson For Bafana Bafana
15 February 2012
It’s back! The PSL is back, hallelujah! Finally the extended break that the PSL so kindly took so that Pitso could have more time with Bafana for the Afcon is over.
I hope some of our Bafana coaching staff actually made the trip to the Afcon. If I were president of Safa I would have insisted that they go over on a fact-finding mission. Go speak to some of the coaches who managed to qualify for this contest despite having a civil war raging in their country. Go speak to some of the coaches who qualified despite having a weak national league, some even less professionally run than our First Division. And maybe, most important of all, go find out how those associations delegate who is responsible for reading the Rule Book for competitions.
That said, we would like to welcome back our Zambian players, and gentlemen, take a bow! Wow, you made us proud, and you gave us hope.
You see, some of our national coaches have said we will never conquer Africa because of the small stature of our players compared to the big physical specimens that pull on jerseys for the North and West African teams. But Zambia, playing to their own strengths, overcame Senegal, Ghana and Ivory Coast.
And their strengths: speed, agility, superior technique, imagination and working for each other. Those aspects of the game are all strengths of the South African football team, and if ever Pitso Mosimane needed an indication of what can be achieved with a technically gifted, mobile side, Zambia must surely give him hope for 2013.
If a team like Zambia can prevent players like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure from dominating them physically, then there is no reason Bafana cannot do the same.
Added to that, what Zambia have achieved goes a long way in dismissing the notion that the, ‘I play in Europe’ tag is automatic confirmation of a superior quality African player.
Slowly but surely if, like Brazil, we keep our best young talent immersed in African football, provided the coaching expertise and potential for development exists or is created, the better for South African football. Yes, it is inevitable that some of South Africa’s brightest talent will make their way to Europe, but that shouldn’t mean that those who stay in South Africa’s PSL should be held back from becoming the best they can possibly be.
Most of our greatest exports were developed right here in Africa before they went abroad, not because they went abroad. And that is something we need to remember. If there is one thing Bafana seems to lack when coming up against nations filled with players who ply their trade at big European clubs, it’s the confidence to walk out onto the field with chests puffed out, heads held high, with an attitude of: Yes, you may play for Barca or Chelsea or Arsenal, and while your pay cheque may be considerably bigger, your talent is not. I will test you and I will compete! When Zambia walked out for that final, they may have been dwarfed in size, but they walked out onto that field as giants and, as a result, they walked off that field as living legends.
This week sees Orlando Pirates begin their African Champions League campaign and it’s great to see Dr Irvin Khoza taking the contest so seriously. He has assembled a squad that can compete with anyone on the continent and South African football desperately needs success on the continent if we are to move forward as a footballing nation.
That our own national team despite their vast resources has been unable to do so is sad, hopefully our club teams can pick up the mantle and run with it. What an achievement it would be to see a second star added to the Buccaneers jersey! And, who knows, maybe history might just repeat itself as the last time Bucs won the African Champions League, Bafana were able to lift the African Cup of Nations on home soil. We can but dream.
Black Leopards will also be representing South Africa in the Caf Confederations Cup and our best wishes go out to them. We have no doubt you will fly the flag for South African football.
To end off, a quick shout out to Mike’s Sports who have come on board and branded this column. They’re a top class sports shop and if you have a team that needs kit or boots or any gear, you need to chat to these guys.
Shapa Clint!
comments
bafana can learn from Ivory coast , who played the whole tournament without conceding a goal . The lady lucky didn't smile at them . They showed their character . Zambia won because they had a good coach and mere lucky.
Submitted by: gift molokomme
Date: 27 February 2012, Time: 03:08:45
SA players suffer from an inferiorty complex, and they think they have reached the top when they play for one of the so called big three. I just think it is a lack of ambition that is killing our football, If you look at how the standard of play has slowly declined in the PSL. I can't think of any player in the PSL that makes me excited to watch football.
Submitted by: Mdarkisto
Date: 21 February 2012, Time: 12:23:54
Hail Chipolopolo!its all abt confidence in wat u do that counts.Tx 4 da article Clint!
Submitted by: SimplyGft
Date: 17 February 2012, Time: 16:03:14
Congra to Chipolopolo, theres nothing Bafana can learn from that team they played negative tactics esp against Ghana & Ivory Coast just that luck was on their side
Submitted by: Unknown Citizen
Date: 16 February 2012, Time: 07:26:41