Failure not an option: Jordaan

Jordaan is anxious for Bafana to do well

Bafana are in desperate need to uncover a new striker ahead of next year's Confederations Cup. This is according to the opinion of the CEO of the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC), Danny Jordaan.

While Jordaan was happy with the progress that the R1.8 million per month head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is making in rebuilding the national team, Jordaan is concerned by the fact that there is no successor in the wings to Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy.

"As hosts of the Confederations Cup and the World Cup, we must reach the second phase of both events. I believe the Confederations Cup will be an eye opener and a massive test for Bafana. It will indicate how far we can go in the World Cup," said Jordaan.

The CEO of the LOC points out that the top strikers in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) manage only about 15 goals per season. McCarthy banged in 29 goals for his English Premiership club last season and finished second to Chelsea's Ivory Coast superstar Didier Drogba.

"The fact that the PSL's top scorers and, many are not even South Africans, score 15 goals or less is a worry," he said. The defenders in the PSL are light years behind the likes of Chelsea skipper John Terry and his Manchester United skipper Rio Ferdinand.

Vital break
Parreira, a World Cup winner in 1994 with his native Brazil, made a vital breakthrough last month when he led his charges to a stunning 3-0 win over Paraguay at Atterigeville's Super Stadium in a friendly. McCarthy scored during that friendly, but Bafana's first round exit at January's African Nations Cup finals in Ghana has not filled the public with confidence.

Jordaan expressed his faith in Parreira's success, which he based on the national team's coach's track record, but in the same breath said that he would find himself in trouble if he relied solely on one player to score goals.

Bafana will have plenty of match practice before June 2009 when the Confederations Cup kicks off. Bafana are involved in 2010 African Nations Cup qualifiers starting in June, where they will play their first four matches and Parreira has other big-name friendly opponents lined up for his players later in the year. - Sapa