Words, words and more words! A lot has been said about the state of Bafana Bafana by various South African football experts, but the argument that I want to put forward is that we are a country rich in talent and we deserve better than we currently are achieving as a footballing nation.
The team was under a lot of pressure in the build-up and during the World Cup in 2010. The same scenario is playing itself out again before tomorrow’s big opening match against Cape Verde Islands. It is a pity that many of us in communities and football use Bafana Bafana for our own benefit. The reality is that the work done from your birth until about 20 years of age determine your future successes. This requires hard work and lots of sacrifices, something which is non-existent in this beautiful country of ours.
We have let down the youth of this country big time. We have some of the most gifted ‘virgin’ footballers in the world. Instead of taking nurturing our talent to ensure that we can go into such tournaments confident of winning the tournament, we have officials who are only focussed on fighting for positions – all the expense of the quality of the game in the country. Every official aspires to be a SAFA president or an NEC member. I don’t imply there is anything wrong with having these ambitions. But there is a problem when that becomes their priority and the only item on their agenda. It is even worse when people assume top leadership positions without a good track record in their own districts. The fact of the matter is that we have a serious issue with development football in this country – the lack of it and it is not possible to promote a development agenda at national level while those in those positions and those still backstabbing others for those positions do not have that much-needed background at district level.
Boys like Sangweni would have been featuring in the Euro Champions League if our football cared about them when they were younger. They do not deserve to compete at a disadvantage.
While we are excited about the Afcon tournament and want to dismiss any truth said about our team’s chances in the tournament as negative criticism, we need to be aware realise that with a strong development foundation of these players we wouldn’t be experiencing this division towards Bafana’s chances … the big division between the pragmatists and the dreamers.
My points is it is not possible for our rich talent to shine at world stage when there is no foundation. The majority of our people are not giving their offspring necessary support. Our children involved in, and aspiring for high performance football need enough food, proper medical care, comfortable living conditions to succeed. There are very few people prepared to do the work hence we end up calling for “izinyanga” (traditional doctors) and priests for prayers before major events. Our boys and girls have the abilities to compete and succeed against the best in the world. They do not need any favours. Bafana do not need favours. They shouldn’t be waiting for the country to win hosting rights in order for them to qualify. They should be qualifying because they are good enough. But at the moment, they are not and they are not to blame. We are all to blame for having neglected the importance of their football development.
The fact that we are still able to field a reasonable strong team to these events is a tribute to ordinary football officials. A player like Siyabonga Sangweni comes from the deep rural Zululand. It is a tribute to his family and community that against all the odds he plays for one of the biggest club – Orlando Pirates and will be representing his country during the next few days.
It such stories that should give us hope for the future. It is also the responsibility of present PSL and Bafana Bafana players to acquire other skills in life. This is crucial if South Africa is to progress in football. We will need educated former footballers to take leadership positions in football. Technical background makes a huge difference; you just have to look at what Michael Platini has done for European football. It is only then that young South African footballers will reach their full potential. We will not need to host events in order to participate. Boys like Sangweni would have been featuring in the Euro Champions League if our football cared about them when they were younger. They do not deserve to compete at a disadvantage. They deserve more support and understanding from all the South Africans.
Lastly, it will be worth noting what Vicente Del Bosque said recently: “The work done at grassroots and youth levels is undoubtedly a factor behind the high level of Spanish football – in clubs and national teams. It is important for us to have our national training centre – which is our home where, basically on a day-to-day basis, coaches from under-15 to senior level meet up. We have a steady exchange and input from each other, and this helps a lot. I have been coaching the national team for four years, but a development process going back over many years is one of the fundamental reasons for the good football that we are playing nowadays.”
I also reiterate, it is important for us to have our national training centre – which is our home where, basically on a day-to-day basis, coaches from under-15 to senior level meet up. Yes, our problems are too many and complex, but this could be the premise from which to depart in our bid to save our football.
Good luck to our team. Good luck, Bafana! Thabo Dladla is a sports administrator at Durban University of Technology and a founding director of Izichwe Youth Football in Pietermaritzburg.
– By Opinion: Thabo Dladla, DUT
