At the recent South African Hall of Fame inductions, where he was one of seven football legends honoured, former Bafana Bafana coach and iconic South African football figure Jomo Sono shared his insights on the vital role CAF competitions play in the development of both domestic clubs and the national team.
Specifically, he highlighted the importance of Mamelodi Sundowns' consistent involvement in CAF tournaments as a key factor in Bafana Bafana's resurgence.
With Bafana Bafana having secured back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifications for the first time since 2015, Sono firmly believes that South Africa's top clubs need to regularly participate in CAF competitions to continue improving at continental level.
"The Black Prince," as Sono is affectionately known, spoke candidly about the national team's trajectory, stressing that Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, and Mamelodi Sundowns must be ever-present in continental competitions. According to him, the success of Bafana Bafana is closely tied to the experience that South African clubs gain in tournaments like the CAF Champions League.
"He's a good coach, I said they must just give him time," Sono remarked, referring to the current coach of Bafana Bafana, Hugo Broos.
"But the plus factor for Bafana Bafana, to be honest, and we must not overlook it, is Sundowns playing in the CAF Champions League. If you look at the history, when Orlando Pirates won the CAF, they had seven players from [Jomo] Cosmos who had lost in the semi-final the previous year."
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Sono went on to further illustrate how CAF competitions shape national teams by recalling the victorious 1996 AFCON campaign, where many of the players who contributed to South Africa's continental triumph had significant exposure to CAF tournaments through their club participation.
"In 1996, how many players were playing in the AFCON to win it? They were all from Cosmos and they played in the CAF competition," Sono said.
For Sono, the message is clear: clubs like Sundowns, Pirates, and Chiefs must continue to feature in CAF competitions because it not only boosts the profile of South African football, but it also provides invaluable experience for players who will eventually represent the national team.
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