/ 12 June 2009

Bafana ready for kick-off

Bafana players in training at Orlando Stadium in Soweto
Bafana players in training at Orlando Stadium in Soweto

The wait is over. Bafana Bafana’s ludicrous bonus stand-off has been resolved and the much-awaited Confederations Cup can kick off.

It has been 13 years since the country played host to a major international football tournament. Coming from decades of sporting isolation Neil Tovey and his band of brave warriors shrugged off being considered rank outsiders to win the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations — the first major competition to be staged in the country.

Driven by the desire to represent their country with pride, the Clive Barker-coached team tore their underdog tag to shreds and emerged victorious. ”We were paid about R90 000 for winning the tournament, but my winners’ medal is priceless,” said a former player who refused to be named.

The amount translates to a single winning bonus Safa has offered Joel Santana’s players for a win, which, until this week, they deemed too little.

Bafana Bafana open their campaign in the Confederations Cup on Sunday afternoon with the script on the field of play reading more or less the same as that of the gallant class of 1996.

Like Barker, Bafana coach Joel Santana has been given little chance to lift the trophy. Instead, Euro 2008 champions Spain, world champions Italy and the mighty Brazil have been tipped to win the Festival of Champions ahead of the hosts. As in 1996, the world will keep a close eye on the proceedings throughout the tournament to see whether South Africa can deliver a successful tournament, with the performance of the Bafana being a key barometer.

Safa deputy president Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana emphasised this point at the dinner held for the players on Monday: ”This tournament can only be a success if Bafana do well,” he said.

Skipper Aaron Mokoena and his charges will need to hit the ground running when they start the tournament with a match against Asian Champions Iraq. The 1-0 win over Poland in their friendly match last weekend has renewed optimism that the team can emulate the remarkable achievements of Tovey, Mark Fish, Mark Williams, Linda Buthelezi and Eric Tinkler, just to mention a few of the names that defied the odds more than a decade ago. If anything, Santana’s Bafana have enjoyed better conditions in preparing for the tournament.

Being in the same group with Spain, Bafana need to emerge with a positive result against Iraq on Sunday and beat the lowest-ranked team, New Zealand, if they are to ensure a safe passage to the semis.

To do so they will have to put behind them the unfortunate divisive issues of the past week that bordered on greed. The distinct difference between 13 years ago and now is that football salary demands are increasingly becoming obscene with each passing day, taking precedence over playing for the country.

Bafana coach Carlos Parreira earned a R1,8-million monthly salary and his successor, Santana, said he would earn more in his 13-odd months with Bafana than he had in 30 years. This is an indication of where the subversive, financially driven culture comes from.

”Money is a sensitive issue in today’s game and management should not have left matters of remuneration to the last week,” said Tovey.

The positive news after Wednesday’s training session, which the Mail & Guardian attended, was that the team want their legs to do the talking. Ithumeleng Khune looked the runaway favourite for the number-one jersey. Left-back Tsepo Masilela had also recovered from the slight knock that kept him away from the Poland game to join Mokoena, Matthew Booth and Siboniso Gaxa in the back four.

That Teko Modise and Steven Pienaar, the great national hopes, reported a clean bill of health to take their place in midfield alongside Kagiso Dikgacoi and Sphiwe Tshabalala was probably the most welcome news.

Bernard Parker and Terror Fanteni look set to lead the strikeforce as Bafana search for a bright start to the World Cup dress rehearsal. Qualifying for the semis is crucial in order to build confidence in South Africa as a worthy host of the World Cup next year, the first on African soil.