What a way to bounce back from the disappointing opening result against Mali, for Bafana Bafana, as they trounced Namibia 4-0 in the second game of the 2023 Afcon, currently underway in Cote d'Ivoire! The boys gave a good account of themselves and bounced back in a spirited fashion after the 2-0 loss to The Eagles in our first group stage match. Hopefully, by the time you read this, we will have done enough to get to the knockout stages as I am writing this column before our final match against Tunisia. I must congratulate coach Hugo Broos and his charges for such a disciplined and clinical performance against Namibia. That is exactly what the country needed, and I must commend the players for putting up a show.
Percy Tau showed a lot of character by stepping up to take that penalty, after missing against Mali, and that is what top athletes do. What can I say about Themba Zwane's performance and the well-taken brace? Thapelo Morena gave us a lot of width and played an important role in the final third. It is unfortunate that some people don't seem to see the good work done by Evidence Makgopa up front. A striker's role isn't just about scoring goals but creating them, while keeping the opposition defence busy is equally important. It was an overall good teamwork and scoring four goals against a team that beat Tunisia is not as easy as we made it look because the Namibians were no pushovers.
Doc Answers Your Questions
Please don't forget to send your questions to editor@soccerladuma.co.za for now, until further notice.
Gavin Ryan wants to know my memorable game in the 1996 Afcon, what inspired us to go all the way and whether we will ever break that record.
It will be difficult to single out one game because the whole tournament was just special. Remember, we were first-time hosts and our rugby counterparts, Springboks, had made the country so proud a year before, so we just wanted to repeat what they had done. A lot was happening in our country at that moment, with the new democratic dispensation, and everyone was united behind us and we really felt the support. As far as breaking that record goes, I really hope we will get to that, eventually, because it has been too long since we last won this trophy.
Danny Moreo wants to know which teams I think will progress through to the knockout stage.
Apart from those who have already secured their places, it is difficult to tell because anything can still happen. One of the things I'm enjoying about this edition of Afcon is that it has been unpredictable. We've seen a number of surprises already and I believe there is still more to come.
Being Doc
I find myself in a situation where whatever I say, in my TV analysis, turns out to be a tool to be used by other journalists. It really puzzles me when people take what I say, turn it around and make it look and sound so bad. Why not say what I said or ask me if there is any uncertainty? I'm so disappointed that some journalists turn my comments into something completely different to what I said and meant. I may not have a journalism qualification, but I have been in the game long enough to know journalism ethics and what the profession is all about. I keep being made this bad person and I don't know what's the agenda. This makes me feel like I am blood and these people are bugs that survive through me. This needs to come to an end because I really don't like it!
Coaches I've worked with: This is what puzzles me!
While everyone is still enjoying the incredible performances at Afcon, I must say we've seen countries that are deemed as minnows causing upsets, while some of those regarded as powerhouses of Africa have been left scratching their heads. On the home front, I would like to remind our readers that as much as we boast about the likes of Pitso Mosimane, Gavin Hunt, Rhulani Mokwena and others, there is this young coach who is very humble and continues to do his thing quietly. I'm talking about someone who seems to have been forgotten by some people in the football fraternity, and that is Thabo Senong. This is the man who has unearthed a lot of talent for our junior national teams as he was the head coach of our national U20s, worked with the national U23s and the senior national team. We have seen him qualifying and taking our boys to big tournaments around the world. There are several current players who came through him and after parting ways with South African Football Association (SAFA), he then decided to go and test the waters outside of our borders. He went to coach the Lesotho national team, where he spent two years. This is what puzzles me! I'm bringing his name up because, as mentioned, he was our junior national team coach and worked within the SAFA structures, only to find himself coaching our neighbours at a senior level.
The question is: Why are we developing players that we are not going to utilise in the future? The same goes for the coaches! Why would we develop our own coaches only for them to go get jobs out of the country, as if we don't have job opportunities for them? What kind of vision and plan is that, where other countries are benefitting from our investment more than we do? These coaches know everything there is to know about South African football. They know the culture and background of our players and there is so much that they should be contributing to our football, but we let them slip through our fingers. I would like to believe our foreign counterparts don't know these things. That's a fact and not something anyone can argue against. What is the development for if these things continue to happen? Are we developing coaches just for the sake of it or do we have a succession plan and vision for them? The way things are going, it looks like the latter is the case! The reason our football is struggling, and not anywhere near where it should be, is because of things like this. It doesn't make sense for local coaches to have to go outside of our borders to show what they are capable of, after we've invested so much in them. Why don't we have a programme that addresses these issues?
Thabo Senong is now a head coach at Singida Fountain Gate, in the Tanzanian Premier League, and they are reaping the rewards of our investment! He is now in the country because of the Afcon break and analysing the tournament for SABC. I had not seen him for such a long time before I bumped into him at the studio recently. It was like we were small boys from primary school, the way we were so excited to see each other, jumping and hugging. The very same coach, when we did the SAFA Level 3 coaching license, he was there with me, Manqoba Mngqithi and Neil Tovey, to mention just three. Yes, it is good to have our coaches flying our flag outside the country, but do we have any plans for them in the future? I've asked this question before and I am going to repeat it: Why don't we organise a session with someone like coach Pitso Mosimane, who has conquered the continent and even went abroad, to come and share his experience with us? Having said that, I see a visionary in the current SAFA Technical Director, Walter Steenbok, and I believe he will make things happen, if the programmes he's bringing within the SAFA structures are anything to go by. I admire coach Senong's bravery by doing exactly what coach Pitso has done. Keep up the good work and I hope your performance that side will open doors for other coaches because you are our ambassador, just like Pitso. I wish you everything of the best.
Doc's memory bank:
Thabo is the best coach I've ever seen…
Coach Senong surprised me this one time. As part of the coaching course, coaches get tested on their fitness in different ways. One of those ways is to play a friendly game between them. These activities help to gauge the coaches' fitness because we are taught practical and theoretical lessons all the time. I must say, throughout my coaching courses, Thabo is the best coach I have ever seen play football! I know a lot of people might not believe this because they never saw him play, but I'm telling you the truth. We played a game at Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium and I was surprised and shocked to see how this man could play football! He was certainly the best player and our best defender, and he is left-footed. He really shocked me, I must admit. Some of the coaches were calling him a youngster and said he must do most of the marking and running because he was younger and fitter, ha, ha, ha.
Doc's Friend Zone
I got to know coach Senong better through the SAFA coaching courses. I must say he is a humble coach. He enjoys jokes and I remember the six-week period we spent together in the Level 3 SAFA course. It was a great experience because we gelled so well, sharing so many ideas together with the other colleagues. Until today, the love and respect we have for each other is humbling. Like I said, meeting him again recently felt like seeing a friend I had not seen for decades. The friendship we share is beyond football because there is also a bit of socialising involved. He is someone I know will always welcome me whether I call or meet him somewhere. I really embrace every moment I have shared with you so far, coach. The person you are and knowing I have you as a friend is very humbling. You are a world-beater and I hope South Africa will gain from the experience you are collecting in your African adventures.
