While some wrote Bafana Bafana off before they jetted of to Abidjan for their Africa Cup of Nations campaign, former defender Japie Motale is optimistic of a successful tournament for Hugo Broos' side.
Bafana will play their first match on Tuesday against Mali, which will be followed by the Namibia and Tunisia fixtures on January 21 and 24 respectively in the group stages.
Critics have questioned Broos' selections in the 23-man squad, but Motale is confident that the Belgian tactician has done his homework to put smiles on the faces of Mzansi football enthusiasts.
The Good
"I have a lot of confidence in Bafana Bafana, and I think that the team will do well. The boys are under no pressure, and they are going to the tournament as underdogs which to me is good as it will shift focus away from them. The teams that are under pressure in my opinion are those that have so many players that are playing for overseas clubs. Our players will need to just put their eyes on the ball and shouldn't lose focus. Bafana have got a very good chance. I give credit to the coach for how he has been in his approach since taking over because for some time we have needed someone who would be bold enough to make his own decisions. Under him, there is no buying of faces, and he makes decisions and sticks to them and that's very encouraging. He is a guy who doesn't allow anyone to interfere with what he is doing and that's what I like about him. He has laid a solid foundation for us," said Motale.
The Bad
"Judging by what I have seen being said out there, most people don't think that the boys will do well. People are skeptical and I think that's because we have a new-look team compared to the previous Afcon we qualified for. Most people don't think we will even make it past the opening round and that's worrying. I know that the results in the last preparation match weren't what was expected and that has contributed to people doubting the team. Football doesn't work like that because you can win all the friendly matches, and when it matters most in the tournament, you lose official matches and vice versa," he said.
The Ugly
SAFA president Danny Jordaan's Bafana bonus saga
"The issue of bonuses when it comes to the South African football national teams is something that has been ongoing for many years now. It's unfortunate that until a few days ago, there were reports of unresolved bonus talks. SAFA should have dealt with this issue a long time ago. It is not last week's news that Bafana have qualified for Afcon but something that we have been aware of since last year. SAFA should have done better," added Motale.
Zwane and Williams' leadership will be key
"Sometimes all you need in a team to succeed is good leadership. There may be skeptics and all that but if there is good leadership in the team it can make a whole lot of difference. In our team, we've got Themba 'Mshishi' Zwane and his Sundowns' teammate Ronwen Williams and that's all we need for leadership. Those two guys have got leadership qualities, and they have a winning mentality in them. They have been winning everything in South Africa and you need that in a team to rub into other players. Those two boys' qualities can drive this team into doing wonders in this competition and potentially winning it. I know that people don't expect much from the team, but I say we can go as far as winning the competition. When we won Afcon in 1996 under the late Clive Barker, the team had a lot of leaders and that played a big part in our success. I'm talking about guys like Lucas (Radebe), Doctor (Khumalo), Shoes (Moshoeu) and many others. Also, you must remember that we had many players from Sundowns in that '96 team just like it is now with the current squad, and I see a lot of similarities. That's why I am saying that anything is possible in football, and we should wait and see. All the best to Bafana!" concluded Motale.
Can Bafana win Afcon?
