South African Football Mirrors the State of the Nation

South Africa awaits the decision from FIFA, as to whether or not indeed Ethiopia will be deducted the points in which they accumulated whilst fielding an ineligible player against Botswana. Even before such a decision has been made, on Monday 24 June 2013, news broke out that Ethiopia’s governing body had voted out Ashenafi Ejigu the general secretary of their football federation. The sacking was as a result of an oversight which might possibly cost Ethiopia her best chance to compete at a World Cup.

For a football federation, no matter how small, someone ought to have been responsible for such normalities. That person it would appear was Ashenafi Ejigu. Without wasting any money and time on a commission inquiry, decisive action was taken. A clear sign of accountability from the organisation.

The actions of the Ethiopia federation, took me back some two years ago when South Africa failed to correctly interpret CAF qualification rules for the AFCON. Bafana Bafana, just played for a draw whilst in fact they needed a win. The country was left humiliated.

Instead of our SAFA seating down so as to reflect and take actions against those responsible for such flagrant failure to equip our national teams; those at the helm had the nerve to come out and promise the nation that they would do all they could to appeal the results. Well that is yesterday’s news.

What I really wanted to touch on was the principle of accountability. I for one would like to believe that where an organisation places focus on accountability, that automatically leads to an increased level of credibility with the stakeholders and a stronger governance structures. These are all attributes which I can sadly say are lacking within our SAFA. The stakeholders, being the soccer loving public have at times been taken for granted and as a result a huge chunk of faith has been lost towards on football governing body.

With arguably the most damaging rumours, that of match fixing involving members of our association, until today we have yet to get anything concrete. Sweeping under the carpet like we always have done. Hanging over SAFA's heads is now the probability of mismanagement of funds from the FIFA legacy fund. Rumours are what it is at this point in time. However, until such time someone steps up, the nation and the world will not know what to believe.

Considering our comprehensive financial prowess and world class facilities I for one would have hoped that by now we would be one of the most efficient governed soccer federations in the world. Clear money is not everything. One would hope that we can learn a thing or two from small footballing nations like Ethiopia. That is accountability is key for any legitimate governance!

I would like to think not, that the state of our football is a mirror image of the state of our nation. As much I would not want to believe so, one can’t help but be swayed to think so. This is after all the same country where textbooks are not delivered to schools while half the year has completed, and the person at the helm of the responsible Department keeps her job unquestioned. This is my friends, our South Africa, where private jets of ‘ordinary citizens’ land in military a base, and still those at the helm keep their jobs.

We live in a country that still praises the times Oliver Tambo, in terms of leadership, which would in  football terms be analogous to our constant praise of the class of 1996, without being able to produce leaders nor sports persons of the same calibre. Our educational systems is in disarray, as a result many children’s futures look bleak. How different is that from lack of proper academies to develop future Benni MacCathys?

One would like to live in South Africa, that is and stop living in South Africa that could be.

A PLEA TO BAFANA

A Plea To Bafana: A Country of Hope and Dreamds: MZANIS FO SHO!

On Saturday, 8 June 2013, while watching the Bafana game I posted a tweet, likening South Africa football fans people who would not just leave abusive relationship.

My point of view had come from a realization that 90% of South African women have experienced emotional and physical abuse at the hands of their partners. My point of view had further been enforced by the realisation that a number of these women remain with their abusers. Many of them believing that it was their fault, or that the abusers loved them, would eventually change and stop the abuse.

One might wonder what all that has to do with football. A lot I would say. This is especially so considering the amount of emotion and finances many invest in pursuing their love for the 'beautiful game'.

At the time that I shared my sentiments with the earlier mentioned tweet, I had just had came to my attention that Ethiopia were leading Botswana by 2-0 (same group as Bafana-World Cup Qualifiers). It was at that time that it hit me that there was a real, if not imminent possibility that we might not be in Brazil come June 2014.

It could have been a moment of panic from a desperate fan who has not watched his country in a World Cup since 2002.  I guess my panic could to an extent be justified. One could forgive me as at the time when I posted the tweet I had in mind the Bafana of Stuart Baxter, who failed to qualify for Germany 2006. I was for a moment taken aback to 2004 where for the first time we could not get past the group stages; came 2006 where it got worse as our Bafana could not even master a single goal, to be bundled out in the group stages again. Then then was the Angola 2010 where once again we could not even make it past the group stages. So many times Bafana has failed to deliver when it mattered the most. The grunt, however, has been felt the most by the fan on the street, the soccer loving public.

Despite all the instances of heartache caused by the failures of Bafana patriots (like myself) have never stopped believing that Bafana will come good.

It is remarkable that a soccer loving nation such as South Africa with all the footbaling luxuries continuously fails like it has. It is almost inconceivable that a country with resources and facilities as South Africa cannot put up a genuine fight when pitted against nations with a fraction of the budget allocated and resources at their disposal.

Each time after all the listed disappointments and failures conversations on trains and buses, soccer lovers would disown Bafana. Sport radio shows would be filled with callers telling the nation on how they had given up on the ‘Boys’ and how useless they were. However, that would not last for long as whenever Bafana was playing next many of those who had almost forsaken the national team would again rally behind the national team in their makarapa and blowing their vuvuzela.

It cannot be argued that South African are forgiving in nature. This was very much evident in the first competitive match Bafana played in 2004 after the AFCON disappointment where 30 000 fans packed the Free State Stadium.  We saw how forgiving and loving our supporters when they packed every Bafana game in the recent AFCON. Many secretly knew that Bafana did not have in them to clinch the title or even go as far as the final. Regardless something inside of them believed and hoped that things will change.

Like many other times, we were battered, beaten and left with pain and scars. Like many other times we made excuses for the boys’ failure and consoled ourselves that next time it will be better. Back to the drawing board. Time and time again our Bafana have let the nation down and have been the cause of so many heartaches. Nonetheless we keep going back supporting them and believing that the next time it shall be better.

I would think that enough is enough. As we approach the game with Ethiopia this coming Saturday, I would hope that the Bafana realise that enough is enough, thus the time to deliver is now!

I have realised that my analogy of our sport loving fans to abused women, just maybe a bit too far-fetched. What I have also realised is that I am in South Africa, not just any other country. I realised that people of this country are wired unlike any other in the world. South Africa is a country of hope and dreams; a country that has overcome the worst adversity and became what it is today. A country that in years gone by believed and hoped that tomorrow shall be better, a country that keeps believing.

I therefore believe and hope that come Saturday night, the street of Soweto, uMlazi, Khayelitsha and throughout the country will be filled with joy, in celebrating Bafana’s victory over Ethiopia.

The Myth of the Golden Generation

Wikipedia defines Golden Generations as “an exceptional gifted group of players of similar ages, whose achievements reach or are, expected to reach a level of success beyond that which their team had previously achieved.” The description is pretty standard and gives one an idea of what is being referred to when speaking of a Golden Generation.  However I have a problem with the use of the phrase, especially the latter part of the definition (“… expected to reach…”).

I am of the view that the labeling of a team as a Golden Generation should be restricted to the first part (“….whose achievements reach…”). For so long, I have had to endure in confusion teams such as 1982 Brazil, Portugal of the late 1990 to early 2000s, the England side of the 2000s and now the current Germany team labelled as the Golden Generation of their respective nations. Maybe I am being short sighted, however it is a strong view of mine that for anything or anyone to be labelled as “golden”, to some degree should be associated with some sort of success and consequently some gold (medal).

The France of 1998 to 2006, which reached two world cup finals (winning one), won the Euro 2000; Confederation Cup 2001 and were ranked number one for a period of two years; The current Spanish side which has won three consecutive major tournaments (a world cup and two Euros) and seating at the top of the rankings for the past five years. Golden! That is what those teams were and they have seven trophies between them to stamp my point. Maybe I am viewing the phrase in a much to narrow sense but I find it much easier to refer the Frances and the Spain’s of this world to have had a Golden generation once upon a time than an a Portuguese or English sides who underachieved.

What has been of great concern to me is how loosely the phrase has been utilised. As a supporter, lover and student of the beautiful game it is a bit odd and disturbing for me to use the same phrase when describing/or referring the era of David Beckham; Michael Owen; Paul Scholes: Rio Ferdinand: Steven Gerard and company and yet still use the same phrase when discussing the era of the likes Marcel Desailly; Didier Deschamps; Thierry Henry; Zinadine Zidane; Emanuel Petit.

Agreed, the listed English footballers were super talented and could be compared amongst the best in their prime. However,the question that needs to be asked, is what achievements or feats did that group of players achieve for them to be considered as “golden”?This was an English team who between 2000 and 2010 did not once reach a semi-final of any major championship. My concern with the Golden Generations of this world is as a result of sides such as the Portuguese side of Luis Figo, Pauleta, Rui Costa etc who could not defeat a limited Greece side in front of their home crown at the Euro 2004. The truth has to be faced; there was absolutely nothing golden about the era of these players and their era. As much as there was nothing golden about the Brazil of 1982 or the current fading Cote’ de Ivoire.

An exceptionally group of players of similar age, whose achievements reaches or expected to reach a level of success beyond, that which their team had previously archived.  That is how we should describe a side to having been golden. Italy 1934-38 (two world cups); Brazil 1958-62(two world cups); West Germany 1972-80 (a world cup 74, Euro 72 and Euro 80). Not England; not the current German team; not the current Belgian side.

Until a time these teams achieves anything of significance, then such attributes or reference as being “Golden” may be bestowed upon them. Until such time they shall remain a group of players who talented but failed to achieve anything of significance and there is nothing golden about that.

WHY PLATINUM STARS COULD NOT BE CROWNED KINGS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Yamani@Sport: <!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso...: WHY PLATINUM STARS COULD NOT BE CROWNED KINGS OF SOUTH AFRICA I have through the season taken a keen interest in matches involving P...

WHY PLATINUM STARS COULD NOT BE CROWNED KINGS OF SOUTH AFRICA

I have through the season taken a keen interest in matches involving Platinum Stars, and I must admit their displays have been nothing short of scintillating. At times they looked miles apart in terms of quality as compared to most of their opponents, a view which I am sure the likes of F’Stars (4-0), Black Leopards (4-0), Ajax Cape Town (3-0), Golden Arrows 6-4) Kaizer Chiefs (2-0) just to name a few would attest to.

What has been the most impressive feature is that in many of the games that they have won they dominated the opposition and looked threatening whenever going forward. This has been a “team” that has played with belief and confidence in their abilities. They have not setback for anyone, be it against the “Treble wining Orlando Pirates” or Rising Amakhosi or the expensively assembled Mamelodi Sundowns they have simply went toe to toe, pound for pound against any anyone on their path.

As much as that has been an admirable trait in their season, one could easily argue that, that has been the downfall in the recently ended campaign and a contributory factor in them being a runner up instead of being at the top of the table.

As a result of their flamboyant open attacking game Dikwena as they are affectionately known has lost way too many games for aspiring champions and have drawn games which you would have expected them to win. With all due respect to Chippa United, serious tittle challengers should never lose four points out of a possible six to a Chippa United who had five coaches. Eight losses are way too much for any championship challenging team.

Their free flowing style has been a highlight of the season, but also their demise  as at times  at least half of their loses could have easily been turned into draws, and draws which would have come handy in the end considering that they only fell short by a solitary point. This is especially considering that in the seven losses six were by a single goal.

What has also been a noticeable blemish in their run is the fact that in the 8 games they have lost, 6 were away games, comparing that with 10 home wins, which indicates a propensity to struggle away from the Royal Bafokeng Stadium. Furthermore this is a team in which in all the games that they have lost the opposition had scored first and Stars has failed to come back. Again a deficiency which makes them less of a championship team.

The hallmark of a champion is the ability to be able to grind out results. Win games you should have lost, or get the minimal draw. Platinum Stars have failed to do this. To an extent you could call it the naivety of a brilliant yet inexperience coach in the top flight. The demise of Stars could also be attributed to the lack a plan B when the all-out attack does not come through. In a 30 game league a team need not win all their games. As coach at times one needs to identify games where a draw is deemed sufficient.

I am huge fan of local coaches and times I have felt that they have not been given a fair chance. Cavin Johnson has added that admiration of mine as he has displayed the vast talent and technical; tactical acumen of local coaches. The performances of his charges in the season have shown that they are capable. This has been a huge learning curve for the coach and the players. With access to finest training facilities, one home base and reasonable financial backing there is definitely something to work on come the next season. However for this current campaign, Platinum Stars have lacked the consistency required of champions.