Bafana Bafana

South Africa vs Senegal: Post Match Analysis

2012-03-02T00:35:00.002-08:00

CourageousPitso Mosimane showed most football lovers his hand by changing his philosophyin football. The failure of Pitso and his troops to qualify for the 2012 AfricaCu of Nations would never been attributed to weak defence.

Pitsohad mastered the art of protecting South Africa goal post with a remarkablestatistic. (please do some research). We become accustomed to a strong BafanaBafana defence performances where in more than three games, the man of thematch were defenders.

Inthis game: Bafana Bafana vs Senegal, we have seen the danger of changing ourapproach in order to please most.

Back Five, Itumeleng Khune, MorganGould, Tsepo Masilela, Bongani Khumalo and Anele Ngcongca are the strongestback five you can currently have in South Africa. However, the two full backs (Aneleand Masilela) couldn’t go forward and create havoc at the Senegal defence withcrossings.

Why?Well, this takes me to my point, South Africa under Pitso and the 2 Brazilianbrothers got to play with 2 defensive players in the middle. Their role is ofsupporting the full backs when overlapping and keep the defence in sharp andbalanced. This time around, Pitso used one, Kagisho Dikgacoi. This created adanger when Bafana didn’t have the ball.

Wegot penetrated more often than we would have loved (yes, no shooting on targetfrom weak Senegal attackers) but the fact that Khune had to come out threetimes in the first half to collect the ball or play as a swipper isn’t a goodsign.

Bafanamanage to create a lot of scoring opportunities, starting with Steven Pienaar whowas collecting the ball from Dikgacoi, was quickly supported by Thulani Sereroand May Mahlangu (all good ball player) hence it was easy to breach Senegaldefence.

Pitsostarted with a 4-1-3 (with the captain Pienaar deep not up) and two (EdwardManqele just behind Katlego "Killer" Mphela)

Aftermaking six changes, he went back to 4-4-2 using Lebohang Mokoena as anattacking wing, Thamsanqa Sangweni playing along Teko Modise who was in advanceposition.

Overall,it wasn’t a bad performance from the boys but we should look at this point (eachtime we had a 50-50 battle for the ball; we lost the plot, except at the back).

Wayforward, keep believing and don’t shoot the coach or boo the boys.

Thisis my view; I’m just sharing with my friends. I love you all.

By Christopher LBongo

WARNING: 50 reasons why SA Football is dwindling

2012-03-01T01:30:00.002-08:00

FACT:After eight games without victory, Bafana Bafana are in the same predicament ofcontinual result failure ahead of their crucial 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiersin June! The last time the national team won a match was against Burkina Fasoin August last year. But against an inexperienced and younger opposition yet,Senegal’s U23, excuses like “missed chances” are again given as phony reasonsfor the umpteenth failure.

MaximalFootball.cominsists it doesn't help to perpetuate complains and re-cycle negativity aboutSA football without identifying the real reasons of this chronic crisis.Acceptance must be given to the fact that until ALL the wrongs are eliminatednew efforts and ideas for improvement cannot work. Maximalfootball.com askedTed Dumitru to use all possible sources of information from countries thatencountered similar major failures, to compile a document that comprisesanything that would deny SA football the much-hoped-for resurrection to life.This crucial information must be acknowledged from the highest level of SAfootball administration to the last football fan in the country.

Universalwisdom in the sport serves here to ward off possible ruinous mentalities,actions and conditions that are dwindling SA Football. The following critical 50 instances carry the potential to wane thenational game. Beware:

1.Ignoring the magnitude and role football plays in SA society andindiscriminately allowing its number 1 national sport status be shared withsports of limited national and international popularity.

2.Failure to accept and implement the fact that to match the leading examples inthe World, SA football must benefit from no less than 70% of the country’ssport spectatorship, sport financial resources and sponsorship, facilities andmedia coverage.

3.Denying national football sovereignty and national interest by allowing foreigncultures, influences and interests to control technical and administrativeaspects of the game and SA’s young talent.

4.Overlooking the need that SA football culture has to reflect the values of thepast, positive traditions and history.

5.Repudiating acceptance, recognition and application of a unitary nationalfootball mentality and style which reflect the characteristics and strengths ofthe majority (over 80%) of SA players.

6.Non-existence of a Football Performance System where all factors and conditionsresponsible for optimizing development and performance are effectively ensemblecoordinated and controlled.

7.The non-inclusion of people from key areas of technical expertise with highlevel skills in strategic thinking, long-term planning and progress monitoringin the NEC.

8.Improper set-up and regulatory frame in addressing vital technical policies andtechnical expertise related challenges as the Association’s Technical Committeecannot exercise its functions of conceiving and implementing policies, measuresand programs due to unqualified interference.

9.Ineffective composition of various Committees in the technical andadministrative structure of the Association due to severe shortage ofmulti-disciplinary expertise – capable and experienced people who can providevaluable scientific input from areas of high performance, youth development,sport medicine, etc.

10.Critical and general insufficiency of administrators with technical knowledgeat club level and local associations, which makes it very difficult tointroduce and operate programs of technical nature – coaching, youthdevelopment, sport science, refereeing, etc.

11.Allowing individual club ownership to operate without community base andrepresentation and without proper structures and democratically governedprocedures.

12.Maintaining illogical disparity in school sport between ‘underprivileged’football and ruling ‘elite’ codes such as Rugby and Cricket – sports whichamong other peculiarities score low on the scale of general fitness, dynamicnature and attractiveness/creativity (contrary to what is required in modernyouth sport programs).

13.Not recognizing the capital importance of football facilities at all levels ofparticipation as the number, quality and accessibility to facilities for Rugby,Cricket and other minor sports in schools, universities and municipalitiesreflect the ludicrous depravation of football facilities – there are up to 17other sport facilities to one football ground.

14.Not being aware of the essential need for developing a large number of smallgrounds for mini-football – 5vs5, 8vs8, etc., especially in the rural andtownship areas.

15.Disregarding the fact that school football cannot be developed through schoolcompetitions without first providing the schools with football instructors orteacher-coaches.

16.Exaggerating the role of early age competitions in youth development, especiallyharmful being the 11-a-side format for the U12 age groups.

17.Limiting the performance maturation, competiveness and progress of youngplayers in their final stage of development by not providing seasonal YouthNational Championships for the U17 and U19.

18.Failing to eradicate the false practice of copying and bench-marking of foreign- mostly European - technical solutions as the coaching content, trainingmethods, selection criteria, play systems, etc., do not work outside of theculture and environment that created them.

19.Incapacity to acknowledge and react to the irreversibly damaging effects tomaximizing SA players’ performance potential by foreign coaches who, althoughsome are well qualified, have no comprehensive knowledge on the uniquebio-social and cultural profile of SA players.

20.Maintaining inadequate, incomplete and contrasting coach education curriculuminstead of replacing it with a concept that is scientific on principles, butstrictly SA specific in content and application.

21.Insufficient generic subjects in the syllabus of coach education to facilitateunderstanding of ever increased scientific findings related to the developmentof players and performance.

22.Incorrectly prioritizing the development of coaches for competitive footballinstead of addressing first the huge need for qualified youth and elite youthcoaches.

23.Unavailability of academic coaching qualification programs.

24.Applying irrelevant criteria for talent discovery – not reflecting the valuabletraits/strengths of SA youth such as aptitude for superior ball skills, dynamicand creative movement, improvisation, etc.

25.Undermining the key principle of youth development which requires completecycle of systematic training and progressive competition participation – ’10years and 10.000 hours of training’.

26.Disunity and disorder in the concept, objectives, methods and structuralorganization of youth development with various fragmented activities in thecountry.

27.Showing indifference in the case of foreign youth philosophies being enforcedby both local and foreign youth coaches resulting in the distortion and/ornullifying some unique qualities of SA youth.

28.Not recognizing in the search of developing of a valuable, unique and highly competitivenational football concept the pre-requisite of a unified football mentalitywhere SA players of different ethnic and race background share the same playingphilosophy and add value to the game by adapting their abilities to the nativespecificity of African players.

29.Depriving the youth development of latest and superior training methods whichmaximize training effects by providing, for example, high rate of ball touches,e.g., 15-20 per minute exercise, in conditions of uninterrupted and diversifiedfootball brain stimulation.

30.Denying players progress and talent optimization by wrongly considering fitnessand tactics before mastering ball skills and enhancing playing intelligence.

31.Enforcing rigid play systems despite SA players’ lower ability to performwithin the strict requirements of positional football while being extremelycapable to play multi-positional/functional approach supported by creative andhigh dynamics mobility.

32.Unrealistically applying the ‘long ball’ and high percentage crossing tacticsin contrast with SA players’ ideal predispositions for short passing maximizedby rapidity, disguise and creative intricate moves.

33.Resisting changes in the training methodology where scientific findings endorsethe application of more efficient multi-factor exercise concurrently withfootball brain stimulation (Maximal Training) and functional conditioning toreplace the obsolete factor-by-factor and gym weight training.

34.Insisting on developing specialized players (positions and specialized tasks)instead of adopting the new trend of producing multi-functional players.

35.Lack of Elite Youth programs which supposed to provide the best talent at theyouth level with high performance solutions - periodical centralized intensivepreparation, international competitions, continual performance monitoring andpromotion to the national teams.

36.Ignoring the requirement of early exposure of the best young players to internationalcompetition beginning at the age of 14-15 years.

37.Scarce coaching/training literature, visual info, TV programs and technicalpublications.

38.The absence of multi-disciplinary football science to replace the ineffectiveand irrelevant general sport science which utilize imported performanceparameters, protocols and data mostly from contrasting European sources – indisregard of the specific bio-social profile of SA players.

39.Under-qualified physical trainers, gym instructors, physiologists andpsychologists who have no insight of the game or previous football experienceas players or technicians in SA football environment.

40.Insufficient support systems – medical services, nutritionists andpsychologists available to youth development.

41.Underestimating the factors and conditions in building the national team at thehighest international standards and level of competitiveness, mainly theabsolute necessity of first developing a national playing identity followed bybuild-up cycle of 6-10 year plan.

42.Not recognizing the role and importance of professional clubs in providing thenational teams with players who can perform at their best form but also sharecommon club and national team essential components of SA football philosophy.

43.Minimizing the significance of advanced knowledge, successful experience,innovative mind and multi-dimensional personality in appointing nationalcoaches.

44.Ignoring the paramount need of uniformity on playing mentality, basic teamorganization and technical/tactical requirements among all national teams.

45.Disregarding the necessity of including all competitions into a NationalCompetition System with inter-related objectives and regulated by non-divergentpolicies and rules.

46.Disparity between referees’ interpretation of the laws of the game and generalstyle and mentality reflected in the local and/or international football.

47.Indiscriminate, excessive and partisan promotion by the media of certainforeign football cultures, influences and competitions that might not be in thebest interest of the development and international emancipation of SA football.

48.Not recognizing harmful consequences of the personality cult in the governanceof football which, as demonstrated by many world-wide examples, could lead todestabilizing and regress of the game.

49.Lesser vigilance towards abuse of power, incompetence, discriminatory acts,nepotism, unfairness and ignorance which constitute the global recipe forfailure and chronic decline.

50.Non-commitment to the belief that SA has the potential to become a power-housein the football World producing a unique, spectacular and winning brand offootball.

Weall have to agree there is an urgent need to revamp local football based on thepoints mentioned above. In modern football, it’s either the right way or thewrong way. There are only two options: Success or Failure. Perpetual contemptof these 50 points will herald the latter. There is never a ‘middle stance’!

By Ted Dumitru

Originalstory: http://goo.gl/dzdqN

Email:editor@maximalfootball.com

Pitso must play our veterans to help Bafana

2012-02-29T01:41:00.000-08:00

Faultyreasoning by Pitso Mosimane keeps costing the nation. As a reasonable man Ican’t stand in silence as our national head coach keeps making a mockery of ourfootball. In one interview this gentleman claims our Bafana Bafana is playingwell but we still find it difficult to score goals, when in Port Elizabeth wecalled for Katlego Mphela to be substituted when we were playing against IvoryCoast, the same Pitso in post interview said the country must give him astriker, because he has looked around and can’t find one.

Thishappens at the time when both Siyabonga Nomvete is playing one is best footballin long time (and now a joint goal scorer in the league with Mphela) and Benni McCarthyis both a seasoned player and scoring stunning goals for Orlando Pirates.

Thisis where Pitso has faulty reasoning he argues that because of their age he canuse these players… not for anything but age... meaning these players are somuch old they do not fit in his future goals… faulty line of thought indeed.

Itis faulty because in the current season if you were to list at least five beststrikers in SA today…surely Nomvete and Benni will be there… we can take theirexperience outside and just focus on their performances this season… theirexperience is an added bonus to the package, but for some reason Pitso is stillmentally locked in the issue of birthdays.

Forexample Roger Millar achieved stardom at age 38…four years older than Nomveteand Benni just imagine the then President of Cameroon Paul Biya did not takehis visionary steps to personally call Roger and plead with him to come out ofretirement and rejoin the national team… and bang those goals in the 1990 WorldCup in Italy… I pause.

By Aphiwe Bewana

Nurture a child, build a nation – Dlangalala

2012-02-28T02:00:00.001-08:00

Wherehave you seen parents, by virtue of being in the School Governing Body, directthe school curriculum and approve syllabus, decide on the duration of lessons,thus engaging in the operational processes of the education of their kids,hiring friends, relatives and those close to them to teach at the same schooland have quality education at the end of the process?

TheBafana Bafana squad for the game against Senegal has been announced and a lothas already been said about that team, but I choose not to go the same route. Imust say, it is very interesting and also nauseating to hear that the“important” people are worried about the state of our senior national team(Bafana Bafana). Where were they all along, to be precise, since 1992?

Interesting,because why now? Our senior national team, like all others, has proved over andover again that they were nowhere near the minimum standards in the continent,and by logic in the world football. Where were all these people, when westruggled in the early 90’s, getting hammered left right and center? Did wethink that by winning the AFCON 96 (which we hosted), by bombing out of thefirst round at the FIFA World Cups in 1998 and 2002, by earning the right tohost the same tournament in 2010, we were moving forward?

Interesting,also that the writing was always on the wall. Those who read the script andread it loud, were and are still seen and labeled as unpatriotic, as jealous,as too critical, skeptical, and are ignored. Given where we are today, who isunpatriotic? Interesting that whenpeople get most the votes in the elections from 1992 to date, they all of asudden become knowledgeable on all matters including Technical, YouthDevelopment, (and all other basic elements of Football Development and Growth),which has taken others years of study, trial and error, experience, provensuccesses, and are still learning and yet treated with contempt in our (local)game.

Wherehave you seen parents, by virtue of being in the Governing Body (SchoolCommittee for those of my age and above), direct the school curriculum andapprove syllabus, decide on the duration of lessons, thus engaging in theoperational processes of the education of their kids, hiring friends, relativesand those close to them to teach at the same school and have quality educationat the end of the process? This is our story since readmission into the FIFAFamily, and maybe even before that. Everheard of Dreaming of Success!

Interestingthat while the football leadership at different levels has been changing facesand names, nothing has really changed.

Money,yes. Stadia, yes. Television, yes. Media and Publicity, maybe yes. Regrettably,at the Football Level where things needed to change and where it matters most,Nothing Has Changed. Even that is generous. The fact is we are worse off nowthan before we became FIFA members. Then, we could all mention the same namesof players that were outstanding in each and every club team. Can the samehappen now? In fact, do we have those players in the first place?

Nauseatingthat we do not seem realize that Bafana Bafana is the end-product andtherefore, cannot be fixed. If you know that, you will never go wrong. If youlook bad on the mirror, the bad thing you can do is to blame the mirror or evenworse to try and fix it? It is not broken; you need to fix your face.

Inour Football we either try to fix the mirror or (and often) move away from themirror and think that our face is OK now that we cannot see it. But behold, allothers still see our face. Ask all Nations that were at the AFCON tournamentssince 1998, Clubs that have graced the FIFA Club Championship since itsinception, etc.

EvenProf. Carlos Alberto Parreira, who did the unthinkable prior to the FIFA WorldCup (by taking the team to 3 long camps-Brazil, Germany & SA), could notfix Bafana Bafana. Bafana Bafana cannot be fixed, not by Parreira, not by JoelSantana, not by Stuart Baxter, not by Ted Dumitru, not by Carlos Quiroz, not byPhillip Troussier and not by anyone.

Theirproblem is a factory fault. Regrettably, they cannot be taken back to thefactory as they are people and have outgrown the development phase. With all thosepreparations (under Parreira), we still bombed out in the First Round playingat Home. Let’s hope and pray that someone else does the same, otherwise we willremain in the Guinness Book of Records (and FIFA) for a long time to come.

Nauseatingbecause when the leaves of a tree start to turn brown and wither, you cannot doanything on them. That is Bafana Bafana. You need to fix the plant, the rootsand the ground.

Nauseatingbecause we do not have a good ground for success at all domestic levels, henceour consistent failure at International Level, both at Club and National Teamlevel. We have failed on all fronts to compete with the best.

Nauseatingthat while no systematic youth development was implemented prior to 1992, therewas a shared concept of play amongst most club teams (that could also explainthe high attendance at the stadia then). The 1996 generation seems to have beenthe lucky ones and as it can be proved now, the last one too.

Thisgeneration enjoyed the game and had very little foreign influence in them henceeven those who went abroad were successful because they brought with themsomething foreign, a kind of endangered skills on those Clubs and Leagues. Theyat least, had that natural flair, creativity and originality in their game make-up.Siyabonga Nomvethe is one of the very few left still flying the Flag. Ask anyplayer/coach of the opposition.

Nauseatingthat those, who have the authority to change things (by virtue of theirplacements), are doing their best to remain blind to the realities facing usfor almost two decades now. This they do in spite of all ammunition that theyhave been provided with over the years by local patriots, but have at differenttimes that suite them, decided to invite people from elsewhere to tell themwhat they already know from locals. It would seem it sounds nice when it issaid by outsiders, but nothing is done still. It could be that it is nice andgives a feeling of satisfaction to listen to foreign voices, and yet DO nothingafterwards.

Ithappened more than twice with Bafana Bafana that after qualification, a changein the team technical staff is effected. It was Déjà vu when we learnt that thesame has happened with Banyana Banyana, after qualifying for the Olympics. Everheard of changing things by keeping to the same! The same outcome, as before,can be expected.

Regrettably,even leaders at the highest level in our country find humour in the demise ofour Bafana Bafana (Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation Address). It was veryunfortunate that one of our national asserts (like all other national teams),Bafana Bafana, just like our national flag, national anthem, national symbols,could be laughed at that way. Wherever these national teams play, they carrythese national symbols on behalf of all of us.

SAFAhas always had all the solutions with them from many a concerned South African.Mentioning them here, would be a repetition to those who read. After all, thesecret is wide open for those who want the solution. To those, who choose to ignoreit, it has never existed. To their credit, they have mastered this skill.

Anyhouse that will survive different seasons, is build on good ground, with asolid foundation, strong walls and a fitting roof. When there is a crack, anintelligent person will trace the cause and fix the root cause. But any otherwill paint over the crack and believe that it is fixed. You always have achoice.

By Zipho Dlangalala

Originalstory: http: http://goo.gl/gxFze

Email:editor@maximalfootball.com

Politicians and businessmen can’t run soccer

2012-02-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

Thewhole bribery saga involving the South African Football Association (SAFA) justgoes to show that if you are going to have politicians and businessmen runningyour football (soccer), you are bound to safa (suffer).

LesleySedibe openly talks about being clueless about the game, Kirsten Nematandani isjust a denialist about his knowledge or lack thereof, on the beautiful game,Molefi Oliphant is just an opportunist, Mwelo Nokonyane a mere traditionalist,and suddenly there are strange names like Silindile 'Ace' Kika, who rock upfrom nowhere.

SuccessfulFA’s associate themselves with people who understand and have passion for thegame, the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini, Pele, Kalusha Bwalya andect… not every ex-footballer will be a coach, some deserve and will deserve aslot in administration, the likes of Brian Baloyi, Jimmy Tau, Mike Ntombela,Vasili Sofiadelis and etc...

Foras long as SAFA Authority exchange heads between politicians and businessmen,South African fans must just forget, they shall never see progress in thatorganisation!

By Sidwell 'Feesh'Francis

Minds of dumped diamonds

2012-02-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

Maximal Football.com managed to chat to some of theprominent coaches who did not ‘fit’ into SAFA’s ‘criteria’ to be invited at therecent Technical Symposium. The idea was to find out if or what contributionsthey would have made to the gathering. What we discovered exposes those whoformulated the invitation criteria - the criteria which was dismal anddiscriminatory.

Collectively,this group of SAFA’s unwanted football technicians, offers superior knowledgeas most of them have graduated from courses in Brazil,Holland, Germany,SA and participated and even conducted coaching workshops in SA and Asia. Their experience comprises coaching in the PSL, SAYouth National Teams, National Student Team, Professional Clubs in Asia, SAUniversities, Sport School of Excellence, Youth Academies,Youth Pilot Programs and PSL Reserve Teams. A rare Sport Science expertise isalso available. Impressive, isn’t it? Infact, it should be enough to qualify someone as a football teacher or lecturer.

The overallassessment of most of these individuals shows that their qualification,experience, achievements and personality is at the level required for positionssuch as that of the Football Association’s Technical Director and even the CEO– in countries where the game of football is taken seriously.

Their inputinto the current effort to fix the wrongs of SA football is equally impressive.Using their advanced knowledge and mixed experience – local and overseas – theycame up with a series of observations and recommendations that cannot and mustnot be ignored. SAFA and the CEO should give themselves an ultimatum and not tothe national coaches to resolve the following:

- Positionfootball as the ONLY national sport in SA. Football sharing the status ofnational sport with other sports is illogical and unavailing in modern times.

- Regulateall concepts, programs and interests that impact on the national interest,mainly the PSL, Youth Academies and foreignprojects- give football back to the people – ‘nationalize’ it if necessary.

- Resolveall sources of conflict of interest such as dual league and club leadership,private club ownership without community representation and partisansponsorship and broadcasting disparities (TV expenditures and time for Rugby, Cricket vs Football)

- Recognizethe fact that without close cooperation and total support from the PSL’sprofessional coaches the performance of the national team(s) cannot improve –world’s experience shows that this is an absolutely uncompromising factor ininternational football.

-Re-educate general football mentality in the country away from less favourableforeign influences – as demonstrated in all AFCON editions and Continental ClubCompetitions the African players’ inborn qualities are substantially more proneto superior performance when generally influenced by the culture of Latinfootball (French, Portuguese, Spanish, Brazilian) than English, Dutch or Germanphilosophies) – in a proportion of 75% to 25%

- Revampthe Coach Education program by scrapping the current syllabus/curriculum andreplace it with an SA-conceptualized approach and organize re-qualificationcourses to correct the wrong and incomplete knowledge previously provided to,mainly, Introductory, Level 1 and 2 coaches.

- Strictlyacknowledge that the strengths of SA players – skill, creativity, high dynamicsand attractive competitiveness – can only be fully developed after 8-10 yearsof systematic youth development where the native traits of the youngsters aremaximized (there are no short-cuts whatsoever)

- Re-directeffort to develop youth and elite youth coaches at a minimum ratio of 8 youthcoaches to 1 senior team coach.

- Unifymethodological approach to youth development according to the specificbio-social and cultural profile of SA Black Youth (85% of participants in SAyouth football activities)

- Addressthe embarrassing disparity for a football nation where in the vast majority ofSA cities and towns there are 18-20 rugby, cricket and other minor sportsfields and facilities to one decent football ground

- Eliminatecontrasting/restricting and obsolete foreign coaching programs and influences fromSA youth development

- Introduce– first time in the world – pre-development programs for children of 3-5 yearsold using ‘kick-for-fun’ approach for early genetic (football) activation.

- Institutea national system of competitions where ALL competitions are controlled andmonitored by the National Competition Committee with sub-committees for eachlevel of competitions.

- Prohibitall 11-a-side full field competitions for the U14 age groups while establishyouth leagues from the regional to national levels - age 15 to 19

- Impose‘10% Development Tax’ on revenue generated from the PSL gate takings, transferfees, matches’ broadcasting and sponsorship to create founds that will assist financiallyin the employment of youth coaches at the grassroots level.

- Promoteto the Government the international practice where a certain category of youthcoaches are fully or partially subsidised by Government departments

- Reviewthe criteria of appointing national coaches by considering factors such asperformance history, experience, advanced knowledge and respected personalityand apply it to reconsider current positions

- ConvinceSA academic institutions to commence programs, studies and research directed tofootball and embark in serious projects of developing technical intellect

- Restrictthe use of non-football specific (adopted from other sports) or general sportscience data and imported performance parameters in SA and insist on multidisciplinaryscience of football as the only relevant source of advanced info.

-Re-enforce SAFA’s NEC and Technical Leadership with knowledgeable, experiencedand dedicated South Africans who can add valuable technical guidance in thegovernance of the game.

- Eliminateany discriminatory attitude, snubbing and undermining of people or peoples’ideas and accept your limitations and mistakes whenever the case might be.

It is morethan obvious and fair to say that the January 2012 Technical Symposium wouldhave greatly benefited from such contributions. By choosing not to allow theseindividuals to attend the procedures did not serve the interest of SA footballor the hope of the football nation. What we are learning the hard way is thatin the absence of answers to these vital inadequacies the game cannot progressand even governed.

Thiscollective input based on in-depth analyses of local and internationalprerequisites for successful football could be seen in many ways as brutal, butit is the only answer when dealing with facts that President Nematandanirecognizes as being brutal. MaximalFootball.com will keep the records of theserecommendations for further references.

Minds ofthe dumped diamonds … minds seen to be in violation of minds who continue toresist change!

By Maximal Football Editor

Original story: http: http://goo.gl/qsf3A

Email: editor@maximalfootball.com

Safa’s “ultimatum” that’s given to Mosimane is ridiculous

2012-02-06T09:00:00.001-08:00

I personallyrefuse to dance to that ultimatum (Shapeup or ship out! (Possibly ... - http://goo.gl/ofMWz)given to Pitso Mosimane. South African Football Association (Safa), if they areserious, should look at raising our goalposts... what they are telling thenation is that it is okay to be second best!

They need tobe reminded that this is South Africa,and not Botswanawhere they celebrate mediocrity.

In 2013, wewill be hosting the tournament, and the ultimate aim should be to win, anythingless equals failure. These guys seem to have wasted time with their so-called symposium(which makes me wonder why they used such a word for their nonsense instead ofsimple words like conference or meeting).

I’m really baffled by thissymposium, based on what SAFA released, it looks like they only focus on thefuture without taking into account where we are and why and how we got here... youcant prepare for that future without checking our background, its like doingCOST ACCOUNTING without FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING... its impossible.

They go asfar as saying they aim to be in the top 3 in Africa,which literally means, if we are third ranked, they’d be happy, that’snonsense! What happened to aiming for the best?

However, ChiefMwelo Nokonyane is right, should their ultimatumnyana fail, heads must roll andhis should be the first!

By Sidwell 'Feesh' Francis

What technical conference must address - Dladla

2012-01-26T07:55:00.001-08:00

SouthAfricans enjoy having meetings/Indabas in fancy hotels to consume loads of foodand drinks. We need resolutions with strict time frames.

SAFA Executive

Thehighly-anticipated National Technical Conference is upon us, but is it going tomake any valuable difference to the current state of affairs in local football?Small changes can bring big results. Talking and good plans is useless withoutaction. Firstly, how many people attending the upcoming conference train andcoach young players daily? Secondly, how many would train children dailywithout expecting to be paid?

The firstthing that people need to understand is that development is an educationalprocess. Players from young age up to senior/professional level need structuredtraining and competitions suitable for their level.

Footballcannot be led by people, who talk but do not live or practice development. Weall come from communities. How many SAFA executives belong to clubs withintheir communities? Are their own young boys and girls in structured footballprogrammes? If this conference can result in these executives leading byexample, then football will move forward.

Theconference must resolve to support and utilize the skills of those that arededicated to football. Football coaching just like teaching or nursing is avocation. We have failed with all the resources because of employing friendsand relatives. Money cannot do the work. There are too many people without anyhistory in coaching and youth development holding critical positions. Withoutproper structures people will always abuse the system.

SouthAfrican football should develop a coaching syllabus that addresses our specificneeds and qualities. The present coach education system including its contenthas failed the country. We have not produced any player of quality in worldfootball in the last 15 years. We have also not won - let alone qualified for -any meaningful competition in our continent and internationally.

PSL clubsshould see themselves as part of SAFA. Bafana Bafana has failed because PSLclubs and their coaches are not producing good players.

Players atthat level should be trained as well as those playing for the Barcelona’s,Manchester City’s of this world. As part oflicensing, no clubs should be allowed to operate without proper youthstructures. Orlando Pirates, Wits, Super Sports are a few clubs doing somethingabout this problem, although they also need to up their game.

SouthAfricans enjoy having meetings/Indabas in fancy hotels to consume loads of foodand drinks. We need resolutions with strict time frames. It is also importantthat we become accountable for the tasks given.

It is alsoimportant that people learn to work with others. We do not need to be friendsto do a good job. Some of us are not interested in power and positions. We arewilling to help the game prosper in the dark corners of our country.

Lastly, theNational Technical Conference agenda should prioritize youth coach education,elite youth development i.e. both boys and girls, the philosophy or style ofplay, youth competitions, issues of age cheating in youth football, and generaljunior and youth football training and competitions.

By Thabo Dladla (Former SAFA coach)

Original story: http: http://goo.gl/j2KZq

Email: editor@maximalfootball.com

Supporters For Change challenges SAFA and PSL

2012-01-18T02:13:00.000-08:00

“Itis a call by ordinary South African citizens to challenge SAFA and PSL to sortout the current shambles in our soccer. We are calling upon all South Africansin all corners of South Africa let stand together and say NO to emotional abuseby SAFA and PSL, let's stand together and say we need 18 PSL teams. Let's standtogether and say we do not need 3 vice-president at SAFA. It is our call letmake it real.” - SFC

TheSupporters For Change (SFC) Forum is the voice of the football loving people inall levels of life who follow and support South African football. The PAGE (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supporters-For-Change/365103980169613) has been created tomobilize and set up a structure that will represent us to challenge and supportthe decision makers at Premier Soccer League (PSL) and South African FootballAssociation (SAFA) as one voice.

Once we reach a reasonable number, we will nominate representatives in allprovinces that will form a Governing body, raise funds and tackle the ongoingchallenges in our football.

We pledge that each member must invite as many people to join (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supporters-For-Change/365103980169613), raise the subject atSupporter’s Clubs, social media, placards in televised venues and in all theplaces where it is relevant.

Theforum has been truthfully and honestly been created based on our current stateof football at national level and club level administratively and on the fieldof play with no hidden agendas or personal gain other than the betterment ofSouth African Soccer.

The SFC Forum Mission

Toengage the football administrators at SAFA and PSL

1.Address the ongoing issues of the national team.

2.Sort out SAFA & PSL Houses

3.Promote good governance & competency

4.Enforce the rule of accountability

5.And change the current state of our football

Email:sfc.administrator@gmail.com

Let’s give Mosimane our full support

2012-01-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

Dowe have quality players in South Africa in the Premier Soccer League? Hell no. PitsoMosimane is just doing what he can with nothing. We are not humble and why should he be? He isfrustrated, he is doing what he can, but we never want him - is he simple notwhite enough?

Yeswe didn’t qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, doesn’t that gave us a chanceto prepare for 2013 Africa Cup of Nations? What keep on crying over split milk?Let’s just give the guy our support. People would never say words we want themto tell us, but we all saying the same thing but differently.

Mosimaneis a South African; he wants the best results for all of us. Jose Mourinho and SirAlex Ferguson have won many cups. But both Portugal with their stars and Scotlandare not doing well via their national teams. Why they don’t hire them?

Beinga national team coach and a local team coach is not the same and they are not guaranteedresults. Gordon Igesund and Gavin Hunt are good coaches, but that doesn’t guaranteethem a success with the national team.

Stanley'Screamer' Tshabalala and Jeff Butler have won many cups in the league than CliveBarker, but Barker is the most successful coach Bafana Bafana even compared tothose overseas coaches with bigger CV who ever coached Bafana.

However,if you check Barker’s record as coach for the league team, he must be thelowest of them all. But he was able to find the right combinations. Let’s give Mosimanea chance and support him.

By BradleyMafelatshuma

"South African Supporters Forum” - is needed to address all issues!!

2012-01-15T22:45:00.000-08:00

Dear South African Football Supporter,

Complaining about the South African Football Association (SAFA) is like complaining about the weather. I've been listing to supporters crying helplessly and hopelessly on all sports shows and I'm thinking to myself that: There's got to be something that must come of these.

One guy on the Discovery Sports Centre with Robert Marawa (Metro FM) suggested what would seem to be a solution to me. He suggested that we (football supporters) must go and demonstrate in front of SAFA's offices our anger and put forward our demands on what changes we want to see!

Furthermore, I suggest that we need to come up with a structure like a “South African Supporters Forum” wherein we would address all issues patterning our football in South Africa, anything from development programme to how we want our Premier Soccer League (PSL) and SAFA should behave ect. I feel that our voices on radio does little or nothing at all to change things, we must do more tangible actions!

I call on South African X-players and so called 'number supporters/fans of all our Premier Soccer League to come together and lead the way to South African football recovery.

Together we stand, divided we fall!

Yours Truly,

SA Football Supporter

By Sandile Xulu

Safa must rectify, enforce constitution to deal with PSL

2012-01-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

Withoutclubs acknowledging and serving in the best interest of SA football, as clearlystipulated in the 'Clubs' chapter, article 23.4 of the SAFA Constitution, thesame Premier Soccer League clubs operate and exist unconstitutionally.

Moreplayers have been recalled, ahead of the practice match against Zambia onWednesday, from an already debilitated Bafana Bafana team that scrambled to agoalless draw against the No.: 150-Fifa ranked Equatorial Guinea last Friday.But the club-versus-country ghost will continue to haunt the local game untilSAFA sees the need to rectify and impose their constitution to deal with thePSL. As it is, and as MaximalFootball.com once wrote, South African clubs donot operate in the best interest of South African football. They operateunconstitutionally and as demonstrated in this case cannot serve the bestinterests of the local game.

Lunatic,demented or scandalous as it may sound, there is no credible argument that eventhe highest football body in the country, the South African FootballAssociation, can present to the contrary. Article 23.4 of the SAFA constitutionstates ‘A club may be owned by a South African or foreign company provided thatit is in the best interest of South Africa football.’ Regrettably, that iscurrently not the case with the local clubs, who continue to serve theirindividual, selfish interests ahead of those of SA football. SAFA is left withno option but to strongly enforce those constitutional provisions!

Inall other constitutional or regulatory frameworks used in other countries,clubs are regarded as fundamental structures for the development of the game,performance, international representation, eco-social up-lifting, etc., whichare all considered to be of national interest.

Shockingly,there is no other stipulation, regulation or anything whatsoever that couldindicate what those interests of South African football essentially are - whichclubs should acknowledge, respect, fulfil and be responsible of. Zilch! And thequestion ‘how and why was article 23.4 enacted without any form of enforcementthereof?’ should be asked! Without being effectively and strictly regulatedclubs' activities CANNOT serve THE BEST INTERESTS of football and the nation's.

Forclubs to serve the national and football interest they have to be regulated -it's the only possibility!

Inconceivableas it may be, without clubs acknowledging and serving in the best interest ofSA football, as clearly stipulated in the 'Clubs' chapter, article 23.4 of theSAFA Constitution, the same clubs operate and exist unconstitutionally becausethey are NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SA FOOTBALL! This is just one of the manyscandals of the local game and this predicament should be included in theagenda of the upcoming Sport Indaba and radical measures should be recommended.

SAFAmust rectify this part of their constitution. They need to define what theymean by the “best interest of South African football.” If they don’t they willcontinue to have no right to stop national team players from joining BB or tocomplain about the national policy of running our national teams. They are notpart of the system – unfortunately they are an ‘independent’ entity and thiscannot be accepted anymore!

MaximalFootball.com,fairly young as it is, was the first break the looming Club Licensing crisis afew months ago. The situation where the PSL seeks to license its own clubsneeds to be stopped immediately by SAFA. While the hatchet is said to have beenburied between the two warring organisations it is a well-known fact that theyin fact do not drink from the same cup.

Sincethe Football Transformation Forum won the SAFA elections on 26 September 2009,the PSL has openly sought to become independent of SAFA. The ExecutiveCommittee of the league’s recent appointment of Edward Nathan SonnenbergsAttorneys “to handle the corporatization process, which will result in the NSLceasing to be a voluntary association and becoming a company incorporated interms of the Act” is one worrying example in this regard. Since the fateful26-September day the PSL has, on numerous occasions, pulled in a differentdirection, BUT they MUST NEVER be allowed to license their clubs.

ThePSL is run by club owners and the question is ‘How is it possible that club ownerscan license themselves?’ Who would at SAFA, CAF and FIFA accept this paradox?

Howare those club owners going to pass a regulation that should be in the bestinterest of the local football, when or if that regulation happens to be aprerequisite some clubs cannot meet and could therefore have them risk thedisapproval of their licences? It is a clear indication that regulations thatare easy for clubs to meet will be considered instead of those that couldbenefit the game indiscriminately.

Thefact is, according to article 3.2.1, ‘Who is the licensor’, it is clearlystated that the licensor should be the member association. Nowhere is it statedthat the league has to be the licensor. UEFA is the licensor in Europe and howdoes the PSL grant licenses in South Africa? It is the normal procedure thatsuch club licenses should be approved by an independent Licensing Boardappointed by Safa. The composition of the Board should comprise technical,managerial, and administrative personalities with background in professionalfootball and/or leadership in the SA Football Association.

Minimumrequirements, community based and community representation in the clubs’management committees, AGMs, home ground, training facilities, youthdevelopment programs, coaching qualification requirements, as stipulated by theFootball Association concerning professional clubs, are general prerequisitesin complying with Pro Club Licensing regulations. However, it is a pity thatsome of the requirements will be manipulated to suit those that will belicensing themselves rather than to benefit the game if the PSL is allowed togo ahead with licensing itself.

Theperturbing regress of the local game is as a result of non-unitary generalpolicies and programs, especially of technical and developmental nature,employed by separate football governing entities such as the national footballassociation and the professional league. A unitary approach to this vitalrequirement has to be reached in the name of national interest.

By Editor of MaximalFootball

Originalstory: http://goo.gl/vdMGk

Email:editor@maximalfootball.com

Why should we trust Pitso Mosimane?

2012-01-13T08:47:00.001-08:00

AS FATE hasit Bafana Bafana did not find the lure of playing in the African footballshowpiece seductive enough, even if it was not by design. It would be abysmalof me to swipe at the circumstances of which they resisted the charm of theAfrica Cup of Nations tournament.

As wesaunter into the sorjourn of hosting the 2013 edition of the CAF shin-dig, itseems we are in for a carbon-copy of ideas that was behind our failure to gopast the group stages of the 2010 FIFA world cup and the subsequent stupendousretreat of participating in the Africa cup ofNations. I would not care to question Pitso Mosimane’s capabilities andcredentials as it were. What I concern myself with is the people who have hiredhim.

And theeffect they have on the service provider. It appears to me that SAFA digestevery word that Pitso asserts to them with a gullibility that is frightening.It seems Pitso’s so- called vision 2014 is taken as a be all and end all. Ifthe aforesaid was amiss, the FA could have reprimanded him and gave him an ultimatumfor the continual of his contract in the aftermath of the non- qualificationfiasco but no, he is let to do his job as if nothing has happened.

You seethat is where my worry reaches a furnace. Good service is relative. If theemployer of a service does not express any dissatisfaction with the serviceprovider, the latter will always believe that there is nothing wrong with theservice that is provided even if there is a dissatisfaction that is notexpressed. Consequently, the provider is let to believe that there is nothingwrong with what is being provided.

This is thecase with SAFA. The coach is working on the premise that he is doing just fine- a magnanimous service. But that is relative to his own circumstances. Hisemployers should appraise his performance. If this is not done, it is where thedanger of failure comes in. Mosimane’s convictions shouldn’t necessarily bethat of SAFA. For, an eye can’t see itself. The coach’s limitations should notbe a proper measure of SAFA’s limitations.

By Thato Bosoga

Main story: http://goo.gl/b3kt6

Follow Thatoon Twitter:@Adv_blair

People Speak: Ignorance is now a virtue in South African Football

2011-12-15T02:45:00.000-08:00

They ask: “How it is possible that Solly Luvhengo who repeatedly failed with U17 be promoted to the U20?”

Mathews Mpete, Sunday Sun reporter, in his recent column reiterates one of the most detestable and harmful aspect in SA football; the irresponsible attitude of football officials! He is wondering why the sport minister, Fikile Mbalula is ignoring this serious problem and, with such continuous disregard towards unresolved critical issues.

Countless useful and some brilliant reports, analyses, research findings, complains and so on have, for years, been published or sent directly to football authorities in attempts to solve serious problems in local football and yet nothing positive happened. Our young experience at Maximalfootball.com would attest to that. Here we are not talking about personal opinions or minor hiccups. We are referring to shocking abnormalities some of which are unique in the world of football.

When Minister Fikile Mbalula recently told the media, “I’m happy issues have been settled and we are going forward” referring the U23 club-versus-country saga, he chose to ignore the fact that the antagonism between the PSL and SAFA is still the most destructive predicament in SA football and the “things panned out” between the two football entities is illusory. Evidence to that was Supersport United head coach, Gavin Hunt’s subsequent statement: “I will never release my U23 players again!”

How do we accept a situation where private interests of club owners continue to impact negatively on the nations’ international representation and image? It is unthinkable! Even more so as every example of successful national football set-up one would consider indicates the same thing; the clubs are strictly regulated through a licensing system that unarguably puts the national interest first! The only reason why such regulatory measures of national interest are not existent in this country is because the power and influence of the PSL leaders (club owners) forces everybody to conveniently ignore it.

The football media and pundits have repeatedly underlined the importance of accountability for the performance of national coaches and have also insisted for close cooperation between national team coach, Pitso Mosimane and the youth national coaches. That’s with the view of improving performance through developing and promoting national team players who share the same mentality from their junior stages up to Bafana Bafana. There is no sign of this happening, still. The U23 in Morocco played differently to Bafana Bafana and so does the U20 and U17. If the Technical Director, Serame Letsoaka is responsible for ensuring that such a vital policy is implemented then we are witnessing another failure.

We recorded countless complains about the policy (or the secrecy of it) of appointing youth national coaches. Who is interviewing the candidates and decides on such important appointments? According to a previous statement made by the chairman of SAFA’s Technical Committee, Fanyana Sibanyoni those positions were supposed to be advertised. That was, however, not the case. Justifiably, prominent youth coaches are questioning why those who have successfully demonstrated their competence in developing young players and apply for youth national teams’ jobs are systematically denied the opportunity.

They ask: “How it is possible that Solly Luvhengo who repeatedly failed with U17 be promoted to the U20?” When recently asked by a youth coach about the criteria of selection for the U20, Solly could not give the answer! The opinion of many youth coaches is that Solly Luvhengo’s close relations with Serame Letsoaka’ makes him “untouchable”.

But, sadly, that is not the end of all mismanagements taking place at SAFA. MaximalFootball.com has been doing some serious digging into such discrepancies within SAFA. We will follow up with more information on what we have managed to unearth speaking to our reliable sources in the associations.

By Editor of Maximal Football

Original story: http://goo.gl/rzAOM

South African football is in a crisis

2011-12-06T22:24:00.001-08:00

Followingthe recent failure of Bafana Bafana, Under-23 (Baby Bafana) and Amajita... onecan boldly declare that our football is in a crisis state... only Safa (SouthAfrican Football Association) President Kirsten Nematandani will dispute thismaterial fact!

Now,a lot has contributed to this accelerated decline, for now, I’ll focus on a one10th of the problem.

Theadopted selection criteria... our fans, media, coaches, cheerleaders and all thatbunch of patheticians have this misleading belief that for the national team, playersshould be selected based on form.

Thatis complete nonsense... for national team, players should be selected based onclass, one should show consistent good performances over a long period of time,i.e., at least a season.

Thisthing of selecting playas like Wayne Sandilands, Musa Nyatama, Hlompho Kekana, LehlohonoloMajoro, Ruben Cloete, Mzivukile Tom, Sthembiso Ngcobo, George Lebese etc aretaking us nowhere, sure, at some point they were on form, but did they sustainit?

Inthe current crop of newcomers, only Oupa Manyisa and Andile Jali deserve theirplace, as they’ve been consistent for a sustained period!

Now,let this May Mahlangu boy maintain his form for at least a third of the nextseason, and then I’ll make noise about him.

By Sidwell 'Feesh'Francis

Sangoma 3 and Bafana Bafana 0

2011-11-17T00:30:00.000-08:00

SAFA (South African Football Association) must pay the traditional doctor (sangoma) aka Sibonelo Madela or else we will not go anywhere – I mean Bafana Bafana!!! I had a one on one session with the traditional doctor and he told me SAFA owes him a lot. The engagement started before the start of the 2010 World Cup.

His medication (muti) was used against one player whom he confessed that the player will never ever find his magic feet again and whenever this player is selected Bafana Bafana. He asked what happened in Sierra Leone when he was chosen; he further asked me what happened when he played against Zimbabwe.

He further went to say the player has played over six games with Bafana Bafana without tasting any victory. The player changed clubs, but still not finding his magic feet. He played the opening games for South Africa during the Fifa World Cup and we tasted no victory when he was not selected against France we won.

He told me we will not qualify for 2014 World Cup plus for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations it will be an early exit!!! Rob Marawa must interview this old men from Kwanongoma as the nation deserve answers.

Bafana Bafana games:

Bafana Bafana 0-0 Sierra Leone

Bafana Bafana 1-1 Ivory Coast

Bafana Bafana 1-2 Zimbabwe

By Bheki Mabhikisha Mngadi

Mosimane is just arrogant

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Ithink Pitso Mosimane is as arrogant a coach as Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinhois, but besides that the pair couldn't be more different even if he tried.

Togo to Zimbabwe with so many uncapped players and play the likes of Oupa Manyisaout of position yet still expect a win, then inevitably have an excuse when welose is typical of him really. A coach is to be judged by results and hisresults, especially as of late, tell a sad story.

Hisconstant defiance to be told what to do is now blinding him from making logicaldecisions. Why is he adamant that May Mahlangu still needs to start with theunder 23s when he's the Swedish League's footballer of the season, he scoresgoals from midfield and Bafana themselves are struggling for goals?

Ishe really suggesting that the Swedish league is inferior to the PSL? Under hisguidance it must be said that we have cried more than we have celebrated. Heneeds to critically assess whether he's capable of doing the job, prideaside...

By Mzamo Percy JuniorNgcobo

A letter to Mosimane to read and answer

2011-11-16T05:19:00.001-08:00

DearPitso Mosimane,

Ihear a lot of people are calling for your resignation; have you considered quittingyet? Cause if you do how long will it take SAFA (South African FootballAssociation) to replace you; how many FIFA (Fédération Internationale deFootball Association) dates are available for the new coach to prepare the teamfor 2014 World Cup qualifiers which commence next year June; will he be able tohave enough time to build a competitive team that will stand a good chance towin the 2013 AFCON (African Cup of Nations) which we will host?

Sinceyou took over coach; there's been certain radio show host who have been unhappywith your appointment; from playing "u ya claima by Chiskop" and"you can't tell me nothing by Kanye West" clips; do you think theirunhappiness with you is football related or personal?

Lastcoach; please be brutally honest here; in the last decade have we as a countrymanaged to produce the quality of players that can take South African footballto another level?

Howlong did it take Clive Barker to build a team that won the AFCON tournament in1996; and what led to his downfall thereafter; do you seek advice from peoplelike him - have you maintained contact with Carlos Perreira?

By ThulaganyoMorobane

Stay at home if you gonna BOO players

2011-11-14T03:05:00.001-08:00

Iwatched The Dancers (Bafana Bafana) vs. Ivory Coast match in patches… however, Idid see MoeneebJosephs co-blundering to donate a goal to The Elephants, and I did see SiphiweTshabalala continue to make the wrong decisions continuously.

NOW,as we all know, this is a national team, by birth, we are obliged to supportthe team, and cast aside club loyalty, but in South Africa such logic isnon-existent... a certain guy, who plays for a certain team, was, once again, BOOEDby Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates supporters (only a pathetician willdispute this material fact)... it would be ignorant to pretend that our supportersdon’t carry club loyalty to the dancers.

Katlego“Killer” Mphela, whether we like it or not, whether we agree or disagree with thedisgraced Pitso Mosimane, is, currently, by far the best striker we have... henceit fails logic when some drunkards boo him.

I,say, professionalism aside, post match comments aside, Killer's celebration wasworth it... in fact, he should have shown those b*stards the middle finger... IFYOU CAN’T SUPPORT, STAY AT HOME, PERIOD!

By Sidwell 'Feesh'Francis

SAFA and Marawa sabotaged Shakes

2011-11-10T03:15:00.000-08:00

Iwould be doing dis-service to the Pure Football Experts (PFE) community if I didn’tvoice my views on the under-23s debacle...

I’mshocked but not surprised that most South Africans have fallen pray to ShakesMashaba's emotional game... that guy needs to take a hard look at himselfbefore he goes around pointing fingers at people who are competent at their jobs.

Hispersonal attack on Irvin Khoza is uncalled and lacks professionalism... it isNOT The Duke who instructed Premier Soccer League teams NOT to release players.

Shakesneeds to open his eyes and realise that he is been sabotaged by South AfricanFootball Association (SAFA) and Robert Marawa (host of Discovery Sports Centrewith Robert Marawa).

SAFAwere able to present Pitso Mosimane's programme to the PSL early, hence anextra week was given to Pitso to prepare that embarrassment against SierraLeone... also, and the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) period was made availableunder the assumption that the DANCERS (Bafana Bafana) would qualify... now; PSLwas never given adequate schedule to accommodate the under-23s.

Granted,this coming weekend is FIFA international weekend (11/12/13 November 2011), butSHAKES requires these players for the weekend, camp and the Olympic qualifiersin Morocco... is this fair on the clubs? Considering that FIFA doesn’t reallyrecognize under-23s?

IfI was a club owner, I wouldn’t release any player for Shakes!

By Sidwell 'Feesh'Francis

SAFA are to blame for this mess

2011-11-10T00:50:00.001-08:00

SouthAfrican fans who anti Orlando Pirates never seize to amaze. No longer ago SAFA(South African Football Association) failed to understand law 14 of CAF (Confederationof African Football) as a result Bafana Bafanafailed to qualify for the 2012 African Nations Cup, but they didn't insults KirstenNematandani (President of the South African Football Association), PitsoMosimane and Bafana Bafana manager but they blame them.

Nowteams are refusing to release their players to the under-23 camp and peopleinsults Irvin Khoza for nothing. Khoza clarify that Mr. Ephraim"Shakes" Mashaba never submit his programme to the Premier Soccer League,so people must insult SAFA not Khoza because SAFA they are the ones whosupposed to give the PSL a programme of under-23 national team.

I’veheard on Tuesday that May Mahlangu was not yet received a formal invitationfrom SAFA (is that still Khoza's fault?). Nematandani must step down the reignsbecause he failed the nation dismally. VODACOM league teams are divided becauseof Nematandani’s poor leadership.

Peoplemust stop to divert the insults to Khoza, but they must direct them toNematandani.

By QhoshakufaneleMkhonza

Mosimane is a joke and we must not rush Zahara

2011-11-08T22:33:00.000-08:00

PitsoMosimane says “we can’t win if we don’t score”… genius implications on thatstatement. I like to think he wasmisquoted, but knowing Jingles, he probably said it. I would hate to be in thatpress conference when that came out, I would have been kicked out cause I wouldbe on the floor, laughing my black @SS off.

“Mosimane,who rang some changes in his strike-force by dropping Bernard Parker and ropingin Kermit Erasmus and Siyabonga Nontshinga, is worried that the country is notproducing quality strikers.” - sir,allow me to correct you, it is not the lack of our striking ability thatcontinues to fail us… it is the lack of quality coaching, especially at lowerlevels that keeps us back.

Under23… I say, let us scrap this section of our national set up… we don’t need it,it does not work, (proof, how many players playing in the Bafana now haveplayed more than 10 times in the U23???)… it is a joke, what’s worse about itis… the clubs are refusing to release players. Why do we even need soccer at this level, at age 23 o se o le groot manin this game.

Zaharaaka May Mahlangu won Swedish Player of the Year… well done to the young man forcapturing this accolade. But, this hasgot to stop… we have learnt that we are never going to get a “Messiah” in thiscountry… this boy still has to prove himself in national colours before singingmad praises for the second coming of Madiba as a footballer.

Let’sbe real, Sweden is not the best league in the world, even their national teamdoes not call up players in that league. The last player to be in the squad playing in Sweden is a 35 year oldveteran and the rest of them are foreign based. Just to make things interestingabout that league, they do not have a rep in the elite Champs league… and arestruggling to get on in.

Zahara will have to come down, don the newPuma “two piece” and take instructions from someone who can tell him that “towin games you have to score” (sic).

LikeI said, coaching methods differ from person to person… Zahara has to adapt tothe chemistry of the team and the direction of the coach (shut up Jojo)… withthose elements fitting each in perfectly, we can perhaps have a competitiveteam to go forward.

Donot put that much pressure on the boy… ya’ll know how quick ya’ll “BOO” aplayer for being on the field.

By Bra Pule

Puma unveil new Bafana Bafana jersey

2011-11-07T06:24:00.001-08:00

PUMAtoday unveiled the new South African national team football kit at the openingof a month-long exhibition, Interpretations of Africa: Football, Art andDesign, at the Design Museum in London.

Star footballers including Bafana Bafana captain Steven Pienaar,Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, John Mensah of Ghana and Yaya Touré of Ivory Coastattended the launch of the exhibition, where the Bafana Bafana kit is exhibitedalongside new kits for PUMA’s other African teams – Ghana, Ivory Coast,Cameroon, Algeria, Namibia, Senegal, Togo, Gabon and Burkina Faso.

South African artists Hasan and Husain Essop designed the newBafana Bafana kit. The brothers are among a group of artists from the CreativeAfrican Network www.CreativeAfricanNetwork.com commissioned to design kits inspiredby their country’s heritage, culture and traditions.

The kit, which Bafana Bafana willsport when they play against the Ivory Coast in the Nelson Mandela Challenge onSaturday 12 November, includes a rainbow graphic inspired by the phrase“Rainbow Nation” coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

“Our design was influenced bySouth Africa’s diversity of cultures and how we have grown as a Nation. Weworked with the PUMA design team to help us create a symbol that would reflectSouth African spirit. After hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, South Africanshave united across the country to support their team. The kit represents theunity within our country and at the same time reflects our strong Africanidentity,” said the Essop brothers.

Safa President KirstenNematandani agreed: “When Archbishop Desmond Tutu coined the phrase the RainbowNation he captured the unique character of our country, and how our differentpeoples would work together to make our country great. It is appropriate thatthe new rainbow kit design has been launched in the year of the Archbishop’s 80^th birthday. We believe we have a kit anda team which can unite our fans behind the Bafana Bafana cause.”

The new kits are designed to maximise player’s performance. Thejersey fits the body closely to avoid grabbing from the opponent and to enableplayers to exhibit their physical presence on the pitch. The fabric featuresPUMA’s U.S.P Moisture Management technology, which enhances airflow and bodyperformance by dragging moisture away from the body and keeps the body at theultimate performance temperature.

South African national team coach Pitso Mosimane is excited aboutthe new Bafana Bafana look: “The new team kit from PUMA is technicallyadvanced, looks great and tells the unique and wonderful story of our country.The players will wear it with pride.”

It also didnt go unnoticed thatSteven Pienaar is wearing the upcoming Yellow/Purple V1.11 colourway we expect Puma toofficially release soon. The new colourway certainly complements the new kitperfectly!

source: http://goo.gl/h8ZtQ

Mosimane is not a good coach

2011-11-07T01:43:00.001-08:00

I'ma Kaizer Chiefs supporter but I still maintain my position that Benni McCarthy isa world class striker. He has proven it with out a shadow of a doubt. In our PremierSoccer League we don’t good finishers like Benni they panic when they are infront of goals. If I was Pitso Mosimane I was going to call Benni.

Imean if Uruguay would use Diego Forlan at 33 years what would fail us to use McCarthy.It a national crisis we are not producing good strikers. If you may askyourself which strikers are making head lines at the moment its; SiyabongaNomvethe and Benni which are deemed surplus to requirement by Pitso!

Pitsois not a good coach why is he ignoring May Mahlangu, a player who is playingweek in and week out for his club in Switzerland this was perfect platform forhim to test Mahlangu!

Iblame SAFA "South African Fools Association" for the hiring of Pitso. Pitso was not good on the field of play and themanner in which our former captain Aaron Mokoena was treated it was not ayoba. Todate he is the only player who has played over 100 games for Bafana Bafana and thatguy puts his country first not even a fare well match or some thing.

Wemust remember Kirsten Nematandani was not elected in an orderly manner he wonafter there with drawl of Irvin Khoza and Danny Jordaan.

Weneed a President who understand the culture of South African soccer. I doubtthat he has ever kicked a soccer ball!!! Pitso made a blinder in Niger byplaying an inexperienced Thulani Serero as a lone striker! We want good playersnot dancers. Dancers belong in clubs and sheebens.

By Bheki MabhikishaMngadi

Mosimane embarks on road to 2013

2011-11-03T08:29:00.001-07:00

BafanaBafana coach, Pitso Mosimane put to rest the 2012 Afcon fiasco and embarked onthe 2013 Afcon journey when he announced his 28-man squad for the NelsonMandela Cup Challenge on November 12.

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder George Lebese,Jomo Cosmos striker Siyabonga Nontshinga, Golden Arrows defender Musa Bilankuluand Ajax Cape Town midfielder, Granwald Scott are the four new players thathave been called up to kick off the building process for the 2013 Afcon squad.

“The clashagainst Ivory Coastis aligned to our preparations for 2013 Afcon because the vision is nowdifferent as we are hosting. So ideally, we would like to play the top-rankedeight nations on the continent to give ourselves good preparation. We havegreat belief that Cote D'Ivoire will pose a very strong challengeand that is what we need,” said Mosimane.

Meanwhile,MaximalfFootball.com understands that Ivory Coast striker, Didier Drogbamay miss the November-12 clash to undergo surgery. The Elephants have called upa strong squad which, apart from Drogba, includes Arsenal’s Gervinho,Galatasarray’s Emmanuel Eboue, ManchesterCity’s Kolo and Yaya Toure and Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou.

Keepvisiting MaximalFootball.com for more in depth review of the Bafana Bafanasquad with the Maximal Technical Panel. thepanel@maximalfootball.com

Bafana Bafana squad

Goalkeepers:Moeneeb Josephs, Wayne Sandilands

Defenders:Morgan Gould, Happy Jele, Siboniso Gaxa, Tsepo Masilela, Bongani Khumalo, AneleNgcongca, Siyabonga Sangweni, Punch Masenamela, Musa Bilankulu, Bevan Fransman

Midfielders:Daylon Claasen, Hlompho Kekana, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Oupa Manyisa, ThanduyiseKhuboni, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Teko Modise, Granwald Scott,George Lebese, George Maluleka, Steven Pienaar

Strikers:Kermit Erasmus, Siyabonga Nontshinga, Katlego Mphela and Bradley Grobler.

Ivory Coast

squad

Goalkeepers:Boubacar Barry (Lokeren, Belgium), Daniel Yeboah (Asec Mimosas, Ivory Coast)

Defenders:Benjamin Angoua (Valenciennes, France), Igor Lolo (Kuban Krasnodar, Russia),Arthur Boka (VFB Stuttgart, Germany), Siaka Tiene (Paris Saint Germain,France), Emmanuel Eboue (Galatasary, Turkey), Kolo Toure (Manchester City,England)

Midfielders:Cheik Tiote (Newcastle United, England), Max Gradel (Saint-Etienne, France),Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Yaya Toure (Manchester City, England),Jean-Jacques Gosso (Orduspor, Turkey), Coulibaly Kafoumba (Nice, France),Didier Ya Konan (Hanover 98, Germany)

Strikers:Wilfried Bony (Vitesse Arnhem, Holland),Gervinho (Arsenal, England),Abdul Kader Keita (Al-Sadd, Qatar), Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba (both Chelsea, England)and Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow, Russia)

Read more here - http://goo.gl/a4dVY

Why Bafana will not be the BEST in Africa

2011-10-20T03:15:00.001-07:00

1.They hired Pitso Mosimane without him applying for the job; I guess he is theonly one in every sport code in our National teams who was hired like that.

2.We are celebrating Draws in football lately, but back in the old days we werebeating big countries like Ghana and more.

3.The league was suspended for two weeks in order to give the coach PitsoMosimane enough time, from what I saw at Mbombela Stadium we are failures if weare allowing a NATIONAL TEAM to play like that.

4.We will be knocked out in the groups stages (2013) because you need wins toprogress and we will not make it to the 2014 World Cup because we are allowingpeople who are failing to deliver with all the support they are getting, somecoaches qualify their countries and get sacked because of poor performancewhile we do not qualify and the coach (Pitso Mosimane) sends someone (ChiefExecutive Officer (CEO), Dr Robin Petersen) to apologise on his behalf.

Ifeel sorry for myself for being a loving Bafana Bafana during this era.

By BiyeladinhoFlosheim

Bobsteak please don’t defend Khune

2011-10-14T09:48:00.001-07:00

SouthAfrican Football Association, South African Broadcasting Corporation's SportJournalists involved in Bafana matches and the National Soccer Team Coach Mr.Pitso Mosimane have done a good job in Ashaming this Soccer Loving Nation.

They havedone a Most Embarrassing Moemish act of the Century, by not fully understandingthe Rules of a Continental Championship tournament called the African NationsCup.

Why wouldthey STILL hold their positions if their mandate is also confusing tothemselves??

And to BobbyMotaung please man we are not kids!! Itumeleng Khune did FAKE injuries duringthe game when Bafana Bafana played Sierra Leone that night.

Mr. Bobbiesta,with all due respect Sir, Itumeleng Khune did commit that senselesstime-wasting trick regardless of being admitted to Hospital on that following Mondayas you 'alleged'.

We MUST NOTfool the Nation whenever we feel like; it's now getting out of hand. Khunedanced around the whole stadium after the game.

It is nowalleged he got admitted to Hospital? Just because you're preparing to laterdefend him IF CAF takes action against him using Television highlights.

By Khekhe Shezi

Pitso Mosimane must be fired!

2011-10-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

Revolutionscan be started by anybody as long as there's conviction in the belief thatchange must occur.

It is fromthis premise that we urge you to instigate the change that you want to see withthe national team by inviting your friends to support the group, PITSO MOSIMANEMUST GO.

The firststep towards achieving that is to get rid of Mosimane because he has clearlyfailed to deliver on his mandate to qualify us for the Africa Cup of Nations.

If Mosimanefails to beat lowly ranked teams such as Sierra Leone and Nigerconvincingly with all the resources that are available at his disposal, thenext logical thing to do would be for SAFA to get rid of him. Failure in anylanguage remains failure.......

Under nocircumstance should a coach (who is accountable to us) of OUR team instruct OURplayers to play for a draw, irrespective of the importance of the match. We,the stakeholders (fans) expect, within reason, to beat any team that is rankedbelow us, especially when we play at home.

By Carlo Gambino

More yadah yadah less ching ching

2011-10-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

South Africanfootball is the best in Africa in terms ofincentives (money and infrastructure); however this causes the administratorsand club owners to compromise quality and delivery through soccer.

Theemphasis is more local than outside the country, as long as Kaizer Chiefs, SupersportUnited, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are dominating Mzansi; thepicture is interpreted that South Africais the power house of Africa, yet these clubsnever even make it to semis of the African Champions League.

South Africa

has to dominate Africafrom a club level first, before they expect miracles from the squad. Again SouthAfrican squad must challenge tough oppositions, in their friendly matches, inorder to assess their strength and weaknesses, not ego boosting games!

If you wantpositive change in South African football, the mind sets also have to change,or else come 2013 and 2014, it will still be eish, we could have done this andthat. "Talking is one thing, and delivery is another thing". Moreyadi - yadah less ching, ching!!!

By Lloyd S Maramane

SAFA embarrassed the nation

2011-10-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

SAFA issimple exposing their foolishness further and the sad part is that their actionis also embarrassing the nation.

To quoteSAFA president and its CEO, “We are of the opinion that this particular ruleshould be thrown out because it defeats the traditional way of determining alog standing."

Thisstatement suggest SAFA honchos do not know what they are talking about, firstly,the CAF rule in Article 14.01 is and has always been FIFA’s traditional way ofdetermining the log.

Maybe itwill enlighten them to also read UEFA’s Euro 2012 Regulations, specificallyArticle 7.04 which is identical to CAF’s Article 14.1 secondly, SAFA leadersneed to know that if Premier Soccer League’s traditional way of establishingthe log is based on goal difference it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is auniversally applied rule and lastly I think SAFA is currently headed by peoplewho do not have even a little atom of a football brain cell.

MinisterMbalula please SOS by throwing out this Nematendani led leadership.

By Philani Dube

Sangoma laughs at SAFA and Bafana

2011-10-11T23:57:00.001-07:00

Thesangoma Sibonelo Madela is laughing with joy after Bafana Bafana didn't qualifyfor the 2012 African Cup of Nations... "I'm very happy they didn't win.I'm not sad at all. How can I be when I am owed so much money?" said themedicine man from KZN and warned: "The Worst is yet to come!"

Hesaid the national soccer team must prepare themselves for disaster on the fieldif they do not pay him his money (R90 000).

“Ifthe national soccer team want to start winning, the SA Football Associationbosses must settle their debt with me first,” he told Daily Sun.

Comments from angryBafana Bafana supporters

Leko MaBhunganeMkatshane

LOLayeye akadlali u Dr Madela makakhokhelwe bo! Eish mara SAFA is somethingelse... it is a Mickey Mouse organisation... why involve Black Magic in theBeautiful game?

Kgomotso Mohlomi

Howcan you believe in witchcraft and think you will make it? This guy is reallyserious. SAFA must pay him so we won’t be a laughing stock!

Fhedzisani Masevhe

Mxmhe must go TO hell!!!

Thabo Modise

Whata useless organisation! They have gone so low like this? SIES! Well it's awell-known fact that SAFA president is from Limpopo and Daily Sun can attest towitchcraft in that area, therefore it is not a surprise at all knowing thebackground from which SAFA president is from.

Mpolokeng Ntoi

Wewill win by God grace ke mang yena coz ke motho wa nama le madi jwalo ka nna.

Theo Scofield Howard

Thissoo called sangoma us'jwayela kabi as a nation coz he is also a South African!

DaLes NectaluciousLetsoalo

Isthis a threat...??? SAFA is just a bunch of clowns!!

Sdu Zulu

Thisis disgusting. A sangoma?? Why was hehired in the first place? This is rubbish. Pay de fuck!n guy his f!ckinmoney..... sh!t!

Nkanyiso EthiopianMathamba

BafanaBafana have lost as many games as the fur of 10 dogs before...he mustn’t claim,this guy kahle kahle likes attention and cheap credit...who has been causingBafana Bafana not to win games all these years...??? We FAILED to qualify whilehe was there at the stadium in Bloemfontein last year, why didn’t we buryFrance if he is a real sangoma... thereare no sangomaz these years, I have never seen a sangoma going around makingthreats in the media, real sangomaz sit down and relax, do what they do best(muti mixing)... booom, the unthinkable happens to the one owing the sangoma,not this one who wants cheap publicity because he is broke...!!!

Tsm Touc Khoza

Letthem pay this muti man and Bafana will continue wining games. Irvin Khoza pleasecheck this sangoma so that Orlando Pirates can hammer these Premier SoccerLeague teams…

Heavy-Lu EsromTalakgale

Thisis what SAFA needed and Bafana failed to qualify cos they didn’t pay him so whatif bad things continue to happen to Bafana all the time they play?

Youri Kongolo

Idon’t believe in that, they didn't qualify but there are still a winning team,and if they pay him it doesn’t mean they won’t lose a match... I believeJehovah-Jireh, so this sangona should just go, God is behind our national team.

Sipho Nqayi

Youdon’t cheat or rob people and expect God to intervene when things don’t go yourway. SAFA must pay this man; it’s not as if they don’t have the zaag! I’m goingto say it again; undermine this sangoma at your own peril, South Africans...

Closing This Bafana Bafana Chapter

2011-10-11T23:12:00.001-07:00

Thisrule was put in place some years back. If you remember in 2006 World Cup,Angola went to the World Cup ahead of Nigeria because of that same rule andNigeria never complained.

Checkthat group again. Angola had a goal difference of +6 yet Nigeria had a goaldifference of +14. The head to head results were as follows between theconcerned teams.

Angola1-0 Nigeria and Nigeria 1-1 Angola. Angola had 4 pts while Nigeria had 1. Itdidn't matter that Nigeria had a better goal difference by far. That the ruleand Pitso Mosimane and Kirsten Nematandani can’t complain.

Group 4

TeamPld W D L GF GA GD Pts

Angola10 6 3 1 12 6 +6 21

Nigeria10 6 3 1 21 7 +14 21

Zimbabwe10 4 3 3 13 14 −1 15

Gabon10 2 4 4 11 13 −2 10

Algeria10 1 5 4 8 15 −7 8

Rwanda10 1 2 7 6 16 −10 5

Goodluck SAFA for you appeal, but you won't win this case.

Alsonote that the same rule is applied for the Euro 2012 as well. So we can't crynow. The reason for this rule is to curb the issue of match fixing were a teamwill need to win by a certain number of goals.

Therefore,back to back eliminate bribery of certain teams. We had in the past some teamswinning by a very wide margin on their last games. So this is fair.

Handup to Egypt and Sierra Leone for fair play.

DISKIOFF

Disappointment by SAFA, Bafana, the SA Media and Boks

2011-10-10T03:30:00.001-07:00

There is absolute no doubt that this past weekend is oneto forget for many South African sports loving fans. It started on Saturday atthe Mbobela stadium when Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for next year’s editionof the Africa Cup of Nations and the next day the Springboks failed to progressto the semis of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

To make matters worse everyone was celebrating notknowing we didn’t make it because SAFA and our media were not informed enough. Thereferee’s whistle at Nelspruit was met by enormous celebrations with playersand the fans getting excited about qualifying for AFCON. However this was shortlived when it emerged that Bafana didn’t qualify and Niger were the ones whohad qualified.

So the big question was, why didn’t we make it?

This is what CAF hadto say in their statement: Regarding Group G, Niger, South Africa andSierra Leone have all finished tied at 9 points each, with Egypt bottom of thegroup with 5 points. In such a case, when two or more teams are equal onpoints, article 14 of the competition applies as follows:

In case of equality of points between two or more teams,after all the matches, the ranking of the teams shall be established accordingto the following criteria:

14.1Greater number of points obtained in matches between the concerned teams;

14.2 Best goal difference in matches between theconcerned teams;

14.3 Greater number of goals scored in the group matchesbetween the concerned teams;

14.4 Greater number of away goals scored in the directmatches between the concerned teams;

14.5 Goal difference in all the group matches;

14.6 Greatest number of goals scored in all the groupmatches;

14.7 A drawing of lots by the Organising Committee ofCAF;

Therefore, in application of rule 14.1 CAF has considered only results of matches between theconcerned teams, i.e. Niger, South Africa and Sierra Leone (discounting Egyptas the bottom team with 5 points- hence not concerned anymore), resulting inthe following ranking based on 4 matches played by each concerned:

Niger- 6 points

South Africa- 5 points

Sierra Leone- 5 points

Niger is therefore qualified to the final phase.

Now who is to blame for all this confusion because in allfairness, the rules have been long out there but no one gathered enough courageto have a closer look at them. It’s not like these qualifying regulations wereproduced after the BAFANA game.

It was disturbing to hear the SAFA president KirsternNematandani saying these rules were not normal football rules. Off course theymight seem a little strange or unfamiliar but why is that no one from theorganisation bothered to analyse them?

This highlights the incompetence that the fans and the mediahave long accused SAFA of. How did they let it slip? Which rules were theysubscribing to and who prescribed them? Each and every competition has its ownrules.

On the same note how did the media also let it slip? Ipersonally believe that the media should have done their own investigations andanalysis of these regulations. Instead they kept on telling us that if

Egypt beat Niger and we don’t lose we will be safe. Whathappened to informing citizens?

At the end of the day, it is a joke when you ask yourselfhow SAFA and the media failed to take note of these regulations. Lessons havebeen learnt in a hard way, it is a lesson for us as fans not to be passivereceivers of news but we have to stand and think on our own. It wouldn’t hurtif we become critical in our thinking and analysing what is happening aroundus.

On the field of play Bafana put one of the worstperformances that we have ever seen displayed by a home team. The lads playedas if it we were already a qualified team with no dedication at all. It’s notso often that you see teams in football trying to avoid a defeat or playing fora draw in front of their own fans.

As if that wasn’t enough the next morning our hopes weredashed by the events that were happening over 7 000 miles away when theSpringboks were ejected from the 2011 IRB RWC. As much as the referee was hard on us I stillfeel we didn’t use our chances and that’s how we got punished.

I am not rugby fundi but since Peter de Villiers hashinted that he won’t be renewing his contract, it means now we need a newcoach. But does that mean we are going hire and change a coach every fouryears. Don’t we need some form of transition in our rugby because I don’t thinkstarting new project every four years is a wise thing to do?

I will leave the rest do the self-proclaimed rugbypundits here at sport 24 blogging community, we have a lot of them. I am surethey have plenty to say.

By Terence Mthembu

SAFA is one useless organisation

2011-10-10T03:11:00.001-07:00

“Safalodges appeal with CAF - Safa has lodged an appeal with the Confederation ofAfrican Football regarding the outcome of qualification for the 2012 Africa Cupof Nations tournament to be held in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.” Kick Off website

WhySAFA (South African Football Association) stooping this low? The 14.1 clause [(14.1 Greaternumber of points obtained inthe matches between the concernedteams) – CAF website;] was there before the game. CAF (Confederationof African Football) will never amend qualification clause for the sake ofBafana Bafana.

Weshould have won the game to embarrass this boardroom exit... SAFA and PitsoMosimane were ignorant by not familiarising themselves with qualificationregulation. I have perused the document prior to the game and happy with theoutcome.

Bafanafailed to qualify and this is the same clause that kicked Mali out of AngolaAFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) after having a goal difference ahead of Angolabut because of ranking lower than Angola, Mali was kicked out and they nevercomplain.

IsSouth Africa too special to challenge Issa Hayatou? The answer is NO... the appealwill get Size 12 boot of Hayatou. There is no case here… it’s just a case of misunderstandingonly by South Africa. The regulations were there and SAFA endorsed them. Wevoted for this qualification regulation. Let's swallow our pride and accept theoutcome.

Congratulationsto Niger... they have done themselves a huge favour… Pitso is confused anddeserved to be axe. SAFA should fix internal organizational problem whilstPitso should stop playing under-strengthen and fatigue teams to boost FIFA rankings...ill-preparation cost Bafana qualification and lastly we only played ourfriendly at home whilst we can win away from home.

Whynot learning from our mistakes? Blame SAFA and Pitso because CAF neversabotaged Bafana. The qualification regulations were not approved yesterday.

Theyhave been there and none of African country requested an amendment prior to thestart of the qualification games so why is SAFA crying now... let's stop been acountry of cowards!

By Mashudu OwenMundalamo

Bafana squad to face Sierra Leone

2011-09-27T09:44:00.001-07:00

Bafana Bafanacoach Pitso Mosimane has announced his squad to play their final 2012 AFCONqualifier against Sierra Leone. The match will take place on 8October at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. Kickoff is at 17h00.

Tickets for the Bafana Bafana vs Sierra Leone for the AFCON qualifier are on sale. InNelspruit there will be two training sessions, one on Thursday afternoon andthe final one on Friday morning.

Goalkeepers:

ItumelengKhune (Kaizer Chiefs)

WayneSandilands (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Defenders:

Happy Jele(OrlandoPirates)

ErickMatoho (BloemfonteinCeltic)

BonganiKhumalo (Reading FC)

PunchMasenamela (Mamelodi Sundowns)

SibonisoGaxa (Lierse)

AneleNgcongca (Genk)

MorganGould (SuperSport United)

SiyabongaSangweni (OrlandoPirates)

Midfielders:

SiphiweTshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)

HlompoKekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)

ReneilweLetsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs)

Andile Jali(OrlandoPirates)

LebohangMokoena (Mamelodi Sndowns)

ThanduyiseKhuboni (Golden Arrows)

OupaManyisa (OrlandoPirates)

DaylonClaasen (Lierse)

Strikers:

BradleyGrobler (Gotzepe)

LehlohonoloMajoro (Kaizer Chiefs)

ThulaniSerero (Ajax Amsterdam)

KatlegoMphela (Mamelodi Sundowns)

BernardParker (Kaizer Chiefs)

Steven Pienaaron stand-by (injury dependent)

KagishoDikgacoi, Tlou Segolela, Davide Somma all out with injuries.

Issa Hayatou and CAF - a complete joke!

2011-09-27T03:40:00.001-07:00

It gives anawkward feeling every time one thinks about the injustices that CAF officialsget away with. We share our disgruntlement in our own closed compounds and hopethat things will change for the better.

Recently theSPORTFIVE and broadcasting houses issue have reached the summit. I think weare all aware of the hassles that the SABC had to go through to secure a Bafanamatch. Things were not always like this. Some SAFA official signed off thebroadcasting rights to CAF and CAF signed the rights off to SPORTFIVE, whothen gets left out in the cold? The broadcasting house of course.

It’s alsointeresting to note that Ibrahim Hayatou (The son of Issa Hayatou) is a vicepresident of SPORTFIVE. Irrespective of how we look at it, this is nepotismin the highest degree. Either way Hayatou gets to benefit on the multi milliondollar deal between CAF and SportFive. This deal goes on till 2016, sothere's still more than 5 years of being milked by SPORTFIVE AND CAF.

SPORTFIVEis a foreign French company. The AU has been stressing a lot about gainingindependence from European assistance, yet our highly educated CAF moronsdecide to give the rights to a French company. If there was no catch thiswouldn't have been done at all. South Africans would previously throw stonesand stand against furious resistance, but the silence in this regard is appalling.Is it because we have a puppet as a SAFA president? We are a very smart nationto be reduced to the kind of people SAFA is making us to look like.

How everyonehas turned a blind eye to the corruption Hayatou has been doing is justamazing. The documentary film Panorama exposed Hayatou and other 2 FIFAofficials in a corruption scandal. They have received bribes from INTERNATIONALSPORT AND LEISURE (ISL). ISL was awarded a lucrative deal for marketing rightsin the World Cup. FIFA like usual were reluctant to investigate and Hayatou isstill here. This sounds familiar to what we are going through with SPORTFIVEat the moment. His son is the Vice President of SPORTFIVE, isn't that enoughammunition to bring this corrupt man to book?

FIFA itselfas an organisation is a corrupt entity. I hated promoting www.transparencyinsport.org because I thought the site lacked objective, butthen I still wonder why corrupt officials are still kept in high regard.

CAF'stournaments pay little. You look at the CAF Champions League and how patheticit is when compared to other Champions Leagues and wonder where all the moneyis going to.

Bottom line,we all have been quiet over what CAF is doing and will still do, hence there won’tbe any changes in African football. Which organisation tried to stand up toHayatou when he banned Togo for the African Cup of Nations when they hadexperienced trauma in Angola?

We love corruptionso life will go on as usual.

By Mzansioka Mashigo

SABC Sport is the most hated channel at the moment in South Africa

2011-09-05T10:03:00.001-07:00

Soccer-Cola Soccerzone on Facebook today tried to defend SABC for not showing the Bafana Bafana game against Niger, but South Africans are still angry and want action taken to those who lied to the nation yesterday.

Coca-Cola Soccerzone says to all those persecuting theSABC for not televising the game should first look @ CAF - if sports 5 a none Africancompany has the rights to broadcasting rights over African Qualifiers what doesthat say? 2nd requesting 5mil to give us those rights and only backing downonce SABC made it official they will not be broadcasting the game *cumon SouthAfricans 5mil for 90min is a total rip off* from Motheo Kuoape Moerane

Facebook comments from angry SouthAfricans

Lawrence Bonginkosi Shabalala

Coca-Cola Soccerzonetrying 2 save SABC its own company, SuperSport should save us. We are not angrycause SABC didn't broadcast it, we are angry cause they claimed minutes beforekick-off that they will broadcast it and never did, we don't care what theexplanation is but SABC lied 2 us.

Thabiso Mapheto

The problemis, why give the Country the impression that the game will be televised whilstthat didn't happen. Do promise what you can deliver. We were fine with thestatement “the game will not be televised" then you make announcement thatit will be televised. We don't need lies but honesty. SuperSport the best!

Itumeleng Selematsela

The SABC shouldalso learn and stop advertising the broadcast of de game before agreeing termswith Sports5... your company keep raising our hopes and making empty…

Nkosi Goba

Motheo... that’snot right my man. The people have an equal right to see their NATIONAL team onNATIONAL TV which is supposedly brought by the NATIONAL BROADCASTER. Whathappens behind the scenes is their problem... as much as in not paying for my TVlicence is my problem. In ALL fairness we are blaming the right people... SABC!

Sadiki Tovhowani Lawrence

Ok are youtrying to tell me the money we pay for TV licence can’t cover this that sucks, justadmit it u r stingy and arrogant. You promise us the whole day just to listento pathetic presenter saying we busy with the satellite. That not accepted atall cause we paying for the service.

Mthetheleli Manqana

If you aremanagement u must always give out the relevant information to people. Kaizersaid he is going to broadcast the game at the last minute without even knowing whetherthey are going to get the signal or not that was an embarrassment to me as aSouth African and an embarrassment to himself. Other than that we had accepted thatwe are not going to watch the game they are the ones who came back and saysomething that is no true (a lie) to us. Yet you call yourself a"leader".

Mike M. Mzingaye

Why did youguys told us that the game will be televised, wasting our time, that wasn’tfair to us. We waited for the game for an hour before that guy came to apologies,you were suppose to inform us may 30 minutes into the game not 1 hour late.

Chippa Mapholoba-Fuzelihle Ngcobo

Whathappened yesterday should never happen again. How can we not broadcast our owngames as Africans, its time we started doing things our own way. I was reallydisappointed about not being able to watch such an important game. CAF pleasedo something about the way you award broadcasting rights coz its affecting usas fans as well.

Mzuvukile Koyana

No amountof excuse will ever justify this. Are you still waiting for the pictures via satellite?I think your reputation will always follow you, or should I say you areconsistent in disappointing the South African public.

Noahs Ntuthu-pancake Nodazavic

SABC haswasted more than R5 million on stupid things before. This game was worth morethan that.

Babalwa Firstborn Mkhwanazi

Why did youlie and say you gonna broadcast the game mara nxa…Yah it is a rip off but tolie is just not on… I had accepted the fact that I wont watch the game tillyour guy lied to the whole nation *pissed off*

Mokete Malefetse

It’s aboutstupid SABC taking us for granted. Why promise when you know that you don'thave the link as yet. Go to hell SABC and stop passing the buck!!!!

Sbonakaliso Sbo

Stopfooling us SABC has got all the money but if you bankrupt just give the rightsto SuperSport now. I see why Robert Marawa and Carol Manana left this SABC doesthis mean that if our own country is playing away we won't see any of theirmatches because SABC fails to pay this money?

Stiggar Mkhwanazi

SABC oncefailed to televise Sierra Leone against Bafana... A lot was at stakeyesterday and they should have paid that R5 million to make us South Africanshappy. How much did they make out of the 2010 World Cup?

Edmund-Keller Ntuli

Ha voetsekus'tjela amassimba wena maan! Your boss could've provided the money out of hispocket if he had soccer lovers' interests at heart because it's not like themoney ain't there, it is there, and it is available. What's R5 million to theSABC? Stop giving yourselves hefty bonuses and start thinking about the people.Then uzostjela la manyala os'tjela wona! F*ck off!

Yonela Lucky Sidodo

What aboutthe millions you pay every time some CEO resigns, Oh and the last time Ichecked you guys said the game was going to be live at 16:30… come on now we notchildren.

Amanda Magadeni

Even ifOsama Bin Laden has the broadcasting rights if you say you are going tobroadcast a game you must bloody broadcast it! Don't come here with your liesand expect us to buy it... cus you said the only reason you didn't broadcastwas because of technical difficulties and Paris what what now you want us to"look at CAF" hai man!

Thulile Noxolo Nkosi

The lastupdate from communications was SABC will definitely broadcast the game as soonas they get signal and then we soccer lovers glued on our screens waiting forthe game to begin and realised lateeeeeeeeeeeer that was all big fat lie.

Lehlogonolo King

Then why doyou charge us for TV licence. Don’t charge us if you can’t deliver. There’s noexcuse for such incompetent I mean really! You shouldn’t even tell the publicthat the match will be broadcasted if you were not sure!

Radimamo Vinoski

SABC isbeing run like a spaza, I didn't expect much given their pathetic history. Pleaseemerge behind a stick, save your irrational explanations & come 2 theparty, if u fail, some of us are married to SuperSport we'll jump ship whilst uclose shop.

Sadiki TovhowaniLawrence

People do remember that story of Sierra Lione game against BafanaBafana when SABC lied to us... oops they did it again, that stupid n stingy SABCmust pay to get service not complain last you lost PSL games to SuperSportbecause your are stingy and I wish SuperSport can do it again and take Bafana Bafanagames.

Tebogo Modise

I understood SABC's point on the rights issue and that weare being ripped off and I supported their decision however they totally mademe angry yesterday when they announced few minutes before kick off that theyare going to show the game LIVE, if SABC can explain just that then I'll behappy, I think that was a lie, an arrogant lie mxm!

Magoto Rakgoale

I think what happened on Laduma yesterday was a total disgrace,why Lindani Mbeze confirmed that de game will be live while knowing that isimpossible. He kept on saying that de signals are stuck in France. Youjust shot yourself on the foot, to make matters you didn’t even bother toupdate us with the score.

Siyanda Mbangeleli

I’m one of them!!! I don’t care who says what you mean youwere not aware about this matter until the last moment R5 million or no R5 millionwe were looking for a game if that was generations everything could be inorder, stop calling ourselves home of soccer you are home of sopies.

Given Lamola

SABC Sucks no matter how you try to protect them, I am oneof those who don’t have access to a DSTV but if they can take over from SABC Ican run to buy one... nxa you guys think you can do the same mistake and apologisefor it... I am sick and tired of the SABC no more paying for the license, I’llrather not pay so that I won’t complain.

Brian Seabela

Firstly, why is the SABC has a habit of not biddingcompetitively, thinking they deserve to be given things. If they had put acompetitive bid on CAF's table, a bid that makes Business sense, we would notbe where we are.

Junior 'Babar' Jones

I was watching TV when Andile Ncube interviewed Mr. Kganyagoabout this game. It was made clear that SABC does not have the rights tobroadcast this game so we should understand that. Perhaps the problem withSouth Africans does not understand the rights which are critical in order toget the point here. Well done SABC for feeding us with information as to whythe game was not televised. CAF as an organization must be held responsible fornot giving Africans fair play by giving rights to a French company while gamesare for Africans and CAF is an organization in Africafor Africans. To me this is still colonization and I do not understand how itwas made possibly for French to have such rights. Those office bearers who approvedsuch must be politically held responsible for this stupidity (excuse mylanguage). People SABC did best to show the game so hands off SABC employeesand management please.

All hell breaks loose as SABC fails to broadcast Bafana Bafana game

2011-09-04T03:32:00.000-07:00

On Facebook Coca-Cola Soccerzone broke the news that BafanaBafana game against Niger will be broadcast in less than 20 minutes to kick off saying: BREAKINGNEWS: SABC WILL BROADCAST THE AFCON QUALIFIER BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND NIGERLIVE ON SABC 1 AT 16:30… IT’S GAME ON!!!!!”

However, all that didn’t work out as planned as SABC failed to televise the Bafana Bafana vs Niger game and blamed 'whoever' for not getting the feed from France and worse failed to even update the nation about the score while they were LIVE; instead they soccer guests at the studio were busy analyzing old Bafana Bafana games.

The nation didn’t likethis and here are some comments from mad South Africans via networks such asFacebook, Twitter, Google Buzz, Skype and BBM:

Vusi Malapane

Which 16:30 are you referring to? Get rid of that SABC board,starting with that clueless Kaizer wht wht. We are sick of your games, SABC: thegraveyard of soccer.

Onkabetse 'Shoq'Mmolawa

If we lose I know the reason... because Bafana Bafana didnot have South Africa behind it... supporting them.... well done SABC.... you mythave lost us a chance to go to the African Cup of Nations... so much for SouthAfrican Broadcasting you don’t support South Africa it seems!

Gabakwe GrahamMogapi

Will someone “idiot” ever loose their jobs for these socalled minor mistakes and it’s not just this game stuck equipment. At airportscommentators speaking with technicians on air while the game is on poor picturequality colour to be specific and commentators who give us history lessonsinstead of what they are paid for and to top it of you bring this idiot Kaizerto insult our intelligence just waiting for the Rugby World Cup where you willfail again as usual at least you are great at what you do suck SABC suck!

Baas Lenyora

This Kaizer of SABC did really fool us neh, they boughtdelay game and came up wit a plan of saying they are waiting for signal.... HOWCAN YOU DO THAT TO YOUR NATION? F**K YOU ALL SABC BOARD, YOU BLOODY LIARS, ILLBE GLAD IF YOU GET REPLACED A.S.A.P... YOU NEED MALEMA TO SORT YOU!

Mdedelwa Mandla

First you forgot your equipment in Ivory Coast during theSierra Leonne game, now you showing the game in Paris instead of here?

Zwelethu Nondumo

Kaizer Kganyago has the audacity to say it’s not a matterof affordable but principle, he has time for bureaucracy and pride who cares right?Now we paid Sport5 R4 million instead of R5 million for a game that is not liveand a game we lost. Incompetent Manager! SuperSport must take over now!

Maanda Mafunisa

Nxa you guys suck and you keep on failing the Nation. IfI were SAFA or whoever who is in charge of the rights thing, I was going totake the rights from you. Nxa me so disappointed. You showing us this boringold games that we not interested in. Nxa!

TlhaloganyoMokgoatlheng

One thing I have learned 2day that I didn’t know is thatLIVE pictures can travel all over the world for more than 90 minutes beforethey reach Mzansi and they are still called LIVE. SABC education, aLIVE withpossibilities!!

THEN Coca-ColaSoccerzone comeback and said: SABCSpokeperson, Mr. Kaizer Kganyago will explain the reason why we did not showthe Bafana Bafana game. It was not our fault, we did everything we could

LudweLanga-lokulunga Mabandla

What will Kaizer explain and whose having the interestfor that dirty explanation? The only thing you’ve to do now is to eat that R5 millionwith all SABC members…

SomandladinhoSomandla

Lets speak logic here Sport 5 million are based in Francemeaning that since they are the rights holders they will have live feed withthem ready for distribution, so Mr. Kaizer Kganyago don't come here with tendenciesto think South Africans are fools, connecting was never gonna take the entire90 minute, you will watch delay live alone.

Takelane Napoleon

Why should we pay TV licence for, Kaizer Kganyago lied tothe nation, he must apologise and we don’t care about their boardroom meetingwe want soccer channel. Even during the week the cant show a single domesticleague game.

Nhlanhla Mazibuko

Delayed live hahaha what a joke we still waiting for thedelayed live match at 22h00 who employed these clowns ayi lamavukuuuvuku ayi SABC!Never trust the SABC, even their presenters are trained to lie Just like the SABCspokesperson Kaizer who has been spreading propaganda about SportFive when its actuallythe SABC that didn’t want to show the Bafana game shame on you SABC!!

Ace Selaledi

Kaize kganyago... I lost respect for this man!! Lies… lies…lies!!

Phineas Tlomatsana

SABC, SAFA and CAF have one thing in common - they SUCK.I do not buy one story that comes out of their mouth. What I’ve observedyesterday was not only a shocker but utter disgust and embarrassment. A gross incompetent of the highest form I’veever seen in my entire life. Why do we have to go through this every timeBafana have to play in Africa? Where is CAF in this whole high-jinks? I am soinfuriated I would smack someone if one of them was closer to me . . . Allthese entities must just be dissolved and save us another humiliation. We needa new broom effective last-year already and it's a NO joke anymore.

Lele Mbinda

‎#PointONE: I was even willing to watch delayed broadcasting I stayed away fromanything that was updating the score, so unfair I’m still waiting! #Point TWO:after cruising at no.1 for so long we find ourselves depending on other teamsoutcomes to qualify mind with so many unnecessary draws we wont make the cut asthe best number 2. 2012 addition we might as well forget no ways Niger willloose to an under23 Egypt!

Mohlala HoseaTabudi

The less said about SABC the better, where is SAFA in allof this? We cannot be having an unreliable broadcaster and SAFA continues likethey are not bothered with this.

Jacob Mogapi

Monkey business SABC lied to us they needed viewers forthe afternoon show telling us the Bafana game will be broadcasted live I guessthey still waiting for the signal. Thank you for nothing SABC guess we payingour TV licences for repeats and hard luck to Bafana next time boys.

SportFive wants R5 million for Bafana vs Niger

2011-09-03T02:13:00.000-07:00

FOR SALE: SportFive are selling the rightsfor the Bafana Bafana game for R5 million!!!! So SABC might not show the game!Wait 'we' mean SABC wont paid R5 Million so 'you' wont see the Bafana Bafana vsNiger game!!!

Esaia Mclaren Molimola

They willeasily recouop this I am paying for my DSTV as well as the TV License! Plus theother indirect revenue they are making!

Thanduxolo Lizani

I'm stillpissed by what Caf is doing to us! I'm telling you Sports 5 belong to CAF orSport 5 bribed CAF for all these CAF games; think about it Issa Hayatou speaksFrench and Sport 5 is a French company.

Somandladinho Somandla

South Africa

don't be fooled by SABC, when PSLteams participate in continental competitions they never broadcast those gamesso they must not make SportFive a scapegoat, they failed ages ago. This SportFivething is not new, they mustn't fool South Africa. This should have been a culture many months ago if a team go plays in Africa we getthe score by SMS. So SABC what new here?

Lele Mbinda

SABC foronce is CLEAN! CAF is to blame,

1. An aliencompany is tendered for broadcasting rights!

2.SportFive applies bad business practise.

3. CAFapproved this type of dealing talking supply and demand how else can theyafford to inflate and deflate pricing in this bold manner without fear ofloosing the contract! I'm standing by SABC we can't allow bad business practiseby opting for SuperSport. What does it say about us?

Phineas Tlomatsana

SABC?Comedians! CAF? Who are CAF and Issa Hayatou? Useless bunches. As for SABCSport, what did you expect? Everything about them is mediocrity and patheticincluding whole lot of their commentators and presenters. They got all thisfrom their ANC. THEY SUCK.

Philani Dube

I wonder ifthe story we were given the last time they failed to televise a Bafana Bafanagame was genuine. They claimed that they had a problem with flight connections and ended up arriving late blah blah. Yet Bafana Bafana leaving from OR Tambo Airport just like the SABC crew arrived in time for the game. ‎"ME thinkwe was robbed." I suspect they had not paid the required fee butconviniently told a lie in fear of an outcry from the public. SABC is a joke.They can pretend to be victims here so that football lovers can sympathise butmina I am not duped."

Pedro Mapelo

SportFiveis crazy.

Swona Swavona

AnywaySABC, how many good stuff has ever come out of that organization? SABC Sports? Maybethe guys who broadcast in Afrikaans on SABC2 are giving their clients quality,only the Discovery sports centre if you were to ask me! For soccer, think theyare using phone camera, their focus is so narrow!

Vuyisani

I thinkthere are a lot of people jealous of our democracy... How can you charge R5million for 90 mins? If SABC pays this ridiculous amount, they'll have to payagain on every World Cup qualifier. That's just wrong. We're being explotatedhere. "As much as SABC has their faults, at the end of the day, SABC isour public broadcaster and this insult is just an insult to all of us SouthAfricans. Instead of us throwing insults at the SABC, we should be focusing ourattention at the real enemy, Sports5 ... R5 million? Nah ah, they can taketheir rights and feed em to the pigs."

Willy Speares Napo

Who isSport 5 mara? They are insane. R5m for 90 minutes they have got this perceptionthat we were hosting Fifa World Cup there4 we have money.

Motlatsi

Why didn'tthe SABC negotiate a package deal for away games in the beginning of thecampaign or were they doubting Bafana will do well hence they did not negotiatean away package... if i was Sportfive i'd be doing the same thing... businessis business. Now there's demand for bafana games because they're doing well...Sportfive are within their rights to charge whatever they want to charge.

Makgabo Wa Kgomo

It’s sounfair. SABC spokesperson mentioned that they paid R150 000 for a friendlybetween Braziland another big team. When it comes to our National pride – SportFive up theirfees ridiculously. If R5m is the final figure, I will understand if we notshown the game. SportFive must go to hell.

Romeo Moripa

Look hereSouth Africans, Pleeeeaseee! Don't be fooled by a bunch Clueless Stupids, ifsomeone failed to broadcast a local PSL game live here at home, and invites uto watch the tape together at 10pm. What do u expect in terms of anInternational games, just a serious flops with sum silly excuses. Sis!

Andani Hushpuppy-Slumdog Nethomboni

Why can weown the TV rights? And why do AfricanTV rights have to be handled in France?

Thanduxolo Lizani

For thefirst time in many situations where the SABC has manage to keep us in shortbreaths and thinking weather they will be broadcasting the Bafana Bafana awaygames; I would like to share their opinion that its unthinkable what these Sport5 guys are trying to do to us how can we pay 5 million to see our Country playTOTALY WRONG.

Bafana Bafana squad named

2011-08-25T10:45:00.001-07:00

Bafana Bafana coach, Pitso Mosimane, named his Bafana Bafana squad toface Niger on September 4 inNiamey for the2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Bafana Bafana Squad

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune,Wayne Sandilands, Moeneeb Josephs

Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa,Anele Ngcongca, Siyabonga Sangweni, Morgan Gould, Tsepo Masilela, Happy Jele,Bongani Khumalo, Eric Mathoho

Midfielders: SiphiweTshabalala, Hlompho Kekana, Andile Jali, Tlou Segolela, Thulani Serero, DaylonClaasen, Oupa Manyisa, Thanduyise Khuboni, Musa Nyatama, Teko Modise

Strikers: LehlohonoloMajoro, Bernard Parker, Katlego Mphela

My line up soccer-lovers....

Formation: 3-1-4-2

GK - Itumeleng Khune

CB - Siyabonga Sangweni

RB - Siboniso Gaxa

LB - Tshepo Masilela

DM - Andile Jali

LM - Simphiwe Tshabala

RM - Daylon Claasen

RCM - Thulane Serero

LCM - Teko Modise
ST - Bernard Parker

CF - Katleho Mphela

Strategy - full on attack from the wings with the full back onlyattacking until the 3rd half of the pitch. When attacking on the RM Teko Modiseto switch to central role behind Thulani Serero to act as cover. Andile Jalinot to surpass the centre line when in attack. Bernard Parker only to dropuntil Centre line in defence. When being attacked full backs to compressforcing the opposition to go wide and RCM and LCM to drop far down to assist indefense

If we happen to get 2 or more goals... substitutions in the 70th minutescan be made reinforcing the defense in the form of Andile Jali for a defender(Morgan Gould maybe) and subbing Teko Modise for Oupa Manyisa and creating a4-4-2 formation with Oupa Manyisa as the anchor. Last substitution can then beeither for a midfielder or striker.

What are your view soccer-lovers?

By MooketsiSere

THE NEW LAB: Oupa Manyisa

2011-08-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

Oupa Manyesa & Andile Jali are some of the few players I proud myself of spotting before they were famouse amoundst SA football fans. I first saw Oupa when he was subed to replace Modise, although his lack of athletic abilities put him at a disatvantage when playing wide, I still noticed Oupa showed an abnormal level of football intelligence of an African footballer.

Players like Oupa Manyesa, XAVI, Alonso & Nuri Sahin are the new phenomina in modern day football called "Deep Lying Playmaker". In the olden days there used to be just one Playmaker & that Playmaker whould usualy play as a CF 10 like Pele or as an AM 10 like Maradona. The influence of this classic Playmaker on the match depreciated with the rise of what is known at "The Makelele Role". The Makelele Role was made notorius by Jose Mourinho in the Chelsea days, this role was specifically architectured to make life for a traditional 10 life very difficult, which quickly gained porpularity arround the world. This forced the the invention of the "Wide 10 Role". Ronaldinho, KAKA, Messi, Oezil have spent most of there football life playing the wide 10 role. Messi only plays a false 9 role against low quality opposition, but when ever he plays against Mourinhos teams he always plays Wide 10.

Defensive System got better when more & more teams were adopting the Double Pivot System( 2 Holding Midfielders), which would greatly stifle the creativity of the opponent. This emant even if the 10 role is deployed wide, it will be in effective because 1 holding midfielder can always be deployed wide to help the wing back, which was noteble when Inter deployed Zanneti & Chivu to copletly nutrilize Messi for 90min. This forced coaches to be more creative finding the solution.

Coaches came with a brilliant solution of deploying an attacking midfielder in a defensive midfielder role so that his creativity can help in drawing the opponent from its defensive shape, inturn creating space for the wide 10. 2 Coaches stand out in pioneering the Deep Lying Playmaker role & they are Carlo Ancheloti & Alex Ferguson. They did not invent it, but they put it to greater practice, the same way Juhan Gruff did not invet Play Making style total football, but he put it to greater practice.

Alex Ferguson introduced us to Scholes one of the greatest Central Midfielder of all times. Scholes was more of an anchor man, but he is one of the first ones to attribute Deep Lying Playmaking abilities.

Carlo Anceloti signed a young AM from Inter Milan by the name Andrea "l'architetto"(The Architect) Pirlo who was always benched. Carlo told the young man he wants him to play as a "Deep Lying Playmaker" instead of a traditional Playmaker & a star was born immediatly. Pirlo was the first one to realy give life to the role.

Oupa Manyesa is build in the mold of XAVI, but he still has a long long long way before he can reach this level. However I dont think he will survive in Bafana Bafana, because they are badly structured & they only rely on linear minded footballers & hard runners. There is no point in using an architect if you do not have anything for him to build with.

At the moment Oupa is the most intelligent South African footballer.

Regards,

Prof Matwetwe

"You are wither learning, or elarning learning how to be unable to learn, either ways you are learning"

SAFA announces partnership with PUMA

2011-06-07T12:33:00.001-07:00

The South African Football Association (SAFA) announced Puma as the new national team kit sponsor at FNB Stadium on Tuesday (07 June 2011). The global sport lifestyle brand has become the official technical supplier to Bafana Bafana.

SAFA president Kirsten Nematandani confirmed that the new deal will run from the 1st of July 2011 until the end of the 2018 FIFA World Cup to be staged in Russia.

The South African national team will debut the new Puma kit during their next fixture scheduled for the 10th of August 2011. Bafana Bafana’s previous deal was with rivals Adidas, which expired on the 31st of December 2010.

South Africa become the 13th African international team to be outfitted by PUMA, following in the footsteps of African Cup of Nations champions Egypt, as well as Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Algeria, Senegal, Morocco, Togo, Burkina Faso, Malawi and Namibia.

WHAT do you think of the new PUMA Bafana Bafana jersey?

2012 could be the most exciting Nations Cup

2011-06-06T05:43:00.001-07:00

When it comes to hosting other countries, I think we are head and shoulders above the rest of Africa. I always thought that the North African Countries of Arabic particularly and Egypt especially are on Par with us when it comes to;

• Proper accommodation
• Good training fields
• Great hospitality

But I have to take it back……….

What they were doing last night was plain silly… the ref and laser beams especially. Bafana Bafana of 5 years ago would have cracked under pressure and possibly lost heavily.

On the pitch it was worse, having to deal with Laser Beams and all… it really shocked me the way they dove with the smallest of touches. So many yellow cards and as many free kicks (no wonder Pitso Mosimane was celebrating like it was his birthday).

I am confident that when these teams come down here, they receive the best reception and hospitality. Best hotels and training facilities.

I think the players played well, under those circumstances, and we could have won had we taken those one on one chances… I struggle with my man of the match thou… between “The Franchise” (Andile Jali) and Itumeleng Khune, I do not know who to pick.

Over and above that, this weekend was a little pleasing to see Southern Africa represent so well… Zimbabwe and Zambia getting crucial wins that give them chances to join Botswana. Zimbabwe still has a little long road to go thou and Zambia has it all in their hands.

Hearing that Nigeria struggled after the past week they had… was shocking but given the “C” team of Argentina that they beat, gave them false confidence.

Ivory Coast also coasted in like Botswana… this could be thee most exciting Cup of Nations ever cause the playing fields look level now.

By Bra Pule
(Nothing But Soccer)

Bravo Bafana Bafana

2011-06-06T05:42:00.001-07:00

Bafana Bafana put up a superb performance they can be proud of after managing to soak up all the pressure from the defending champions. Egypt’s hope of reaching the African Cup of Nations is over following a goalless draw at home against the South Africans.

South African supporters share their happiness after that sterling performance by Bafana Bafana in Egypt.

S'bu Rantsoabe
Best away performance ever by a Bafana team against an ''A'' side. Even our 1996 team struggled and they never performed well against the top African sides away. Pitso's arrogance is filtering through to these boys, the confidence, slick passing and clever defending were impressive. Bafana have come a long way, remember 7 of the players were locally based.

Motloung Kgomotso Jonathan
SOUTH AFRICA beat AFRICAN No: 1 TEAM IN AFRICA, AFCON 2012 here we come, and who else can STOP MZANSI AFRIKA?

Betu Bethuel Nkuna
OUR MAINDATE: Going 2 that game we were looking for a point or three. We manage 2 get one. Although it looked as we are the one hu were suppose 2 hav been sealed da game with da one on one of killer and gantry. We have 2 knw dat it’s happen dat u loze easy chance. A starling per4mance by the guys, Anele, Sangwen, Gold, Jali and not 4getin Mzanzi’s number one Khune - coming from injury slowed da game of Masilela. Please coach, in da nxt game start with Soma and Mphela. Well done guys.

Chumu Frank
Well done Bafana u made us proud but there is one thing dat we need to work on finishing Mzansi finishing. Egypt u r a small boy U can't do anything.

Macques Moffman
Khune!! Khune!! Dis guy is just gud, he always rises 2 da occasion. Well done Bafana!!! Now we need only 1 victory and wear in. SHAPA BAFANA SHAPA!!!!!!

Solly Mathiba
It means de powers of African football r shifting, de will b a new king in Africa cum next yr! well done boys 4 eliminating our nemeses!

Ndivhuwo Ramutanda
Well done Bafana Bafana, we did it almost took all points. Gould, Sangweni, Khune and Jali great game!

Siphelele Mambish
Well done guys. Keep up the god spirit. That was tremendous display - All the best for the remaining games. VIVA Bafana VIVA!

Group G (After last night’s match)
Team MP W D L GF GA GD Pts
South Africa 4 2 2 0 3 0 3 8
Niger 4 2 0 2 4 3 0 6
Sierra Leone 4 1 2 1 3 4 -1 5
Egypt 4 0 2 2 1 3 -2 2

Benni McCarthy: Fans vs. Benni (ref = media)

2011-04-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Good day Mr. Marawa,

I, as a fan, felt compelled to send this mail to protect our precious name. A lot has been said about how fans are so inconsiderate when it comes to the treatment of Benni. I as a fan, am insulted as to how we are portrayed.

This is going to be a long one, so please bear with me.

As a person, Benni McCarthy has done so much for himself that you can never ignore his accomplishments; he has been a great talent to ever come out of our country. He has played the game to the best of his ability and all praises to him.

I heard all the accolades that were showered by one of the listeners last week, and for a second, I felt bad for being such a bad person.

Champions League winner, top goal getter in 3 various leagues, and all round brilliant striker.

I take nothing away from all his accomplishments and I wondered to myself, if he has been such a great ambassador, why are we as the fans have such a hard time honouring him??

I do not play professionally, in fact, the last time I played in an amateur game, I was very slow and sluggish... but my love for the game is far greater than my ability. I want to emphasise that, THE FANS ARE A VERY BIG PART OF THE GAME… do not ignore us, it does not belong to SAFA or Metro FM or Pitso Mosimane or The various club owners. THE GAME BELONGS TO ALL OF US. Ask any player, the game is so much better with a full house of spectators doing what they do best, SUPPORT... while the players do what they do best and play the game. It is the reason that every festive season, we still show our faces to support our local squads at various tournaments around the country.

I also support Kaizer Chiefs, but my Kaizer Chiefs hat is off and I take it personal that because Benni is getting a raw end of the stick, we in Gauteng (particularly Chiefs and Pirates fans) are said to be the ones responsible for the hostility. As much as we may be at fault, it would be noble to shoulder some blame on himself with the hostility he is receiving.

As in the media, they always say, there are always 2 sides to a story... allow me to share the other side (I invite any criticism or debate). Please note, I say this only from my perspective, I do not speak for anybody else, those that hate Chiefs, do not paint with the same brush.

The mail you got about accolades from Patrick (I stand corrected) was well put and correctly understood, it did hit home about the kind of talent we have in this country.

Here is the second side, (please do not label me as a person that hates Benni)

It is all fair and great that we remember that during his time with Bafana 1997 - 2010 (13 years). The man had 79 caps and 31 goals. Based on my calculations, that is not the most impressive accolade. In fact, these numbers tell me a story that everyone has been thinking about.

As a fan, I felt robbed by him. I will never forget the day he made his debut against Holland, we may have lost the game, but he was a refreshing point to talk about for many years to come. The runs he made, the bravery he came in with, the swagger left so many of us with smiles for months. I get shivers just thinking about that moment, very exciting times.

Now, a fresh 20 year old who is taking this game by storm, made me get my hair coloured honey blonde, so no one can tell me that I was never a fan of Benni.

79 caps in 13 years, is a sad reality. I will not judge his goal ratio, just get upset when he gets compared to other strikers like Luiz Ronaldo (97 caps and 62 goals for Brazil). South Africans are not blessed with "World's best strikers"... his number of goals is not important for me now, I look at the caps. Let us observe the caps he has.

As a fan, we play our part by taking out our hard earned money, sacrifice our time and commit to support our game. It becomes a vicious cycle, if we feel we are not getting the best from our Stars, we will never give our best as well. The stars will also know that we are not giving our best to support, and they will also not give their best… it will go on and on until we all realise how important it is for all of us to play our roles.

When I go to the stadium, I want to watch more than 22 guys running around after a ball… I could watch that at the Moloi Grounds in Mapetla. I want to see a show, I want to be dazzled from people who play the game at the highest level. I want to see the best of the best compete against one another, even if you are not the best, please give your best of our ability to make sure I get my time and money's worth.

I will sing from the top of my lung for that… trust me.

But, if you ask me to play my part and you refuse to play your part, I will give you the finger too. Benni gave us the finger... many times. Proof of that is in the numbers. 79 games in 13 years, that is equal to 6 games a year for the national team. Seeing that we are going all out to sing and praise him, let us look at how many games do Bafana Play on average per year and how many has he missed. I do not have the numbers, but I can tell you that they would shock even the biggest butt kissers.

Seeing that we also are fond of comparing, allow me to break it down on the comparison front.

Kolo Toure:
At the time he was playing for Arsenal, he was once interviewed by you on your show and had a fat discussion about National games vs. the Salary payers. Given that the world knows how Arsene Wenger feels about FIFA dates, I was extremely impressed on how Kolo took it in his strides. I think Ivory Coast was due to play Lesotho, on any given day, that would be a walk over for the mighty elephants. No disrespect to Likoena. He could have easily sat this one out, in fact, the entire first choice could have sat this one out. They went and played their stars, cause they know how the fans want to see a show by the most prized soldiers. Kolo Toure actually told you that he does not care what Arsene Wenger's opinion is about him playing that game, he is called by his nation to represent, and that is what he is going to do. PERIOD!

Didier Drogba:
Started to play in 2002 and already has appeared 73 times for his country, and counting. 5 years after McCarthy started playing for his country. You will understand why Drogba will always be a legend in his country, he has made himself a true "Spear and Shield" for his country. The fans know that if he is able to, he will definitely be there. They have learnt to rely on their captain, who by the way, has been a consistent performer for his clubs, so he could have easily played the fatigue card anytime he wanted. So please just do not compare Apples with Oranges, they only thing they have in common is that they are both fruit.

Lionel Messi:
If we were to stage a Bafana Game vs Argentina, trust me, we would all love to see Messi come on and play against Bafana. Messi understands the role he plays for fans, people will pay good money to watch his 30 min appearance at FNB at midnight, never mind a full game at normal time. The young legend is at the tender age of 23 and already played 55 times for his country. He does not have to always show up given that he is playing very regularly for Barca week in week out. Guess what, he shows up and give people a good show... Fans will never be disappointed with his behaviour, he has given so much and they have also given him so much.

Cristiano Ronaldo:
Age 26 and played 80 times for his country and counting... talk about always there. Nuff Said.

Siphiwe Tshabalala:
I know some of the comparison were a little unfair, but let is us take it home a little. Even Pirates fans Love this boy, every South African idolises this young man, in our eyes he is god sent. He is very humble, and every game to him is one to show us that his really loves the game and understands his role. Now and then, some games do not go his way, but we love him cause he always plays to win and leaves his all on the field. At the age of 26, he has already represented the country 57 times since 2006. That is 22 caps away from catching up to Benni. A betting man would not bet against him reaching that mark. (it could have been more if Santana was not here)

Aaron Mokoena:
I will sooner give and shower my praises to this man before I do Benni. Looking at his Bafana career, he has every reason to call it quits. Jeered and booed by the fans, still the first to answer a call-up. He is a soldier that any country would want, first to dive in the mud to test how deep they are, he was there at the darkest hours of the countries football and still remains... his commitment is second to none, I will never speak of Aaron and Benni in the same sentence that involve "Pillar of commitment". Aaron deserves my praise, and I do not think this mail is long enuff to show him how much I respect him and thank his commitment to the country.

Please note, I could have added the likes of Eto'o, Lindan Donovan and Park Ji-sung... but let me spare him the embarrassment.

Now, that I have said what I think fans feel.

Here is another angle that makes me frown on Benni's behaviour. We as the fans are not connected to him. He is connected to the media more and that relationship plays very nicely cause the Media also has an obsession to make us like him. He is a darling to the media, not to us thou. Allow me to make an silly comparison to his relationship with us. It is like a Sibling who is able to give you the best opportunity for a world class education, but still ignores you when you are hungry and need basic food.

Stop shoving him in our throats, he is too bitter... his relationship with the media is more important and the fans can see that. I do not know what he goes thru on a daily basis as a professional, I do not know his troubles and challenges, but I would love to understand them if he reaches down to the people he is now supposed an icon for. Michael Essien did it, when he wanted to retire from international football cause of his never ending injuries... why can't he??

Would love to see him use the media to find out what we feel and how he feels... create a dialogue of some sort that will make us understand his situation.

This should serve as a lesson to the rest of the players, namely Segolela and Shabba... do not turn your back on your fans, cause when they do turn their back on you, it becomes the coldest place ever. Being a footballer, comes with its benefits and occupational hazards, note them and learn from them.

Please do not think that I am anti Benni, but this is a view from the other side of the debate. I welcome the views from the other side that will enable me to change my mind, if you all feel that I am being too harsh on him... let's talk on brapule@gmail.com

Bafana Bafana Name Change!

2011-04-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

Mr Thabo Mbeki was the first to call for a name change for some of our sports teams. These include: Bafana-Bafana, Banyana-Banyana, Ama-Glug-Glug (inherent from Sasol being the official sponsor) and Ama-kroko-kroko (what does this mean anyway?)

He said these names are not “fit” for national teams and that they do not carry the respect, status and symbolisms a national team should carry. I mean think about it, the cricket team is called the Proteas which is SA’s national flower and the Rugby team is called the Springboks which is SA’s national animal.

Sentiments along the same lines were uttered by Fikile Mbalula, the current Sports Minister "the name change process must be considered, even if it turns out to be a long and intricate process."

"Name change is a debate worth looking at... we are well-respected in the African continent, we are climbing the Fifa World rankings and I wonder if we still need that name [Bafana Bafana],"

With most football lovers against that and SAFA struggling to find reasons to change the name, businessman Stanton Woodrush, who owns the Bafana Bafana trademark, threw SAFA a lifeline and gave them a reason to change the name. Whether we like it or not, we can not allow that "Woodrush" to continue milking it while sitting at home just because the previous SAFA regime did not do their job properly.

My take is, over and above the fact that i also find no sense in all these names, SAFA and Football development will suffer should we continue wit this name.

The money Woodrush has pocketed so far could've done more for soccer development. The fact that the current SAFA leadership seem to be failing in this regard with the little that they have doesn't mean the next leadership will fail as well. They will need that money that woodrush is pocketing to develop the sport.

My feeling is simple, loud and clear, CHANGE THE NAME!

By Wonder Dila

THE LAB: Footballer Development Life Cycle

2011-03-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

I have noticed that most arguments in SA about football have more to do with the fact that most people have no idea what development is & as one of the best Systems Engineer in the world I would like to shed some light in this matter.

In programming there is something called "System Development Life cycle" consisting of the following phases.

• Planning
• Analysis
• Design
• Development
• Implementation

These stages are common in designing of systems in general & one could imagine the process of developing football players following the same stages, but in football the stages would be as follows.

Planning (SAFA): SAFA has to assess how long it will take us to get to the level we want and what resources do we need to get there.

Analysis (SAFA): SAFA has to analyze & decide how South African players are suppose to play football & how cant they play football, e.g. in Brazil all players are suppose to be good with controlling the ball including defenders.

Design (SAFA): SAFA must table down a comprehensive South African footballer design technical and tactical specification for each of the 3 roles defenders, midfielders and forwards, within the South African context.

Development (Academies): The Academies take the technical & tactical specification & use them as road maps to developing ideal South African Footballers.

Implementation (PSL Teams): PSL Teams should teach young players how to apply there technical and tactical qualities more effectively to win matches. Technical abilities are a prerequisite for this phase, and ideally no development of technical and tactical skills is supposed to be done here.

The biggest problem with African football in general is that everything is done in the implementation phase and the other phases are completely ignored. We fail to just give ourselves 5 years to do things correct way.

Regards,
Mr. Majesa (Prof "The Chosen One" Matwetwe)

"You are either learning or learning how to be unable to learn, either way you’re learning"

Intersexions - The Bafana version!!!!!

2011-03-29T05:52:00.000-07:00

Well, this week, the former Bafana Bafana captain, Aaron Mokoena, is back in the news, firstly because of a press conference he called on Friday to address the media about being dropped by Pitso Mosimane as Bafana Bafana captain.

In the press conference, Aaron talked about his pain at being left out of the SA squad to face Egypt and how disappointed he was that Pitso had not even called him to tell him he was dropped, especially because he’s captain.

Come Sunday and Mbazo was now in the tabloids because he slept with a girl, Thabang, who is said to be his Bafana teammate Kagisho Dikgacoi’s girlfriend. Here’s the exchange…

(Aaron): thnx baby, but the part I liked the most was the love making afterwards. U good, u very good. But next time we should get CD’s ok. I hate taking the risk we took.
Thabang: yebo Gogo, I heard you loud and clear. Will never get us into trouble. So relax.
(Aaron): I can only relax if and when you tell me u got the pill.
Thabang: okay okay okay, I dnt want a brat either. I’m gonna go get them now.

Shame… almost sounds like the John Terry situation neh? I kinda feel sorry for him… On the one hand he is trying to get the nation’s sympathy for having been dropped from the squad and at the same time, his reputation gets tainted via a tabloid. Was it just a con-incidence? Asazi.

I would be very sad if indeed this Thabang girl is Kagisho’s girlfriend… but ke knowing these boys.. maybe she wasn’t the only one naye. Intersexions in the Bafana camp… I wonder who else has slept with someone whos’s slept with someone… HERE’S TO HOPING THAT THEY ARE ALL HEALTHY.

(Jacob) Zuma must just BAN sex in this country.

By Paballa "pabs" Mleya

Celebrating short-term achievements

2011-03-28T05:54:00.000-07:00

Eish…. watching a game (Bafana Bafana vs. Egypt) with couple of my friends was a mission!

I watched the game, tried to concentrate, but going to fetch a Heineken now and then in my cooler bag was stress free…

I yawned a couple of times and my other friend hit me at the back of my head on regular intervals just so I do not sleep.

Nna gents I am for attacking, entertaining football and what was displayed by Bafana on Saturday night was the opposite… at the death, when Katlego Mphela scored.

I was surprised to see people shouting and screaming, as if we have won a Macufe Cup, eish I was not because I know that we won against a team that was not at its best… lemme tell ya’ll this now, and you can frame my statement.

Egypt will whip our asses by more than 2 goals on the return match, and they will do so convincingly… and I am sure most of ya’ll will tell me “bottom line is we won, we got 3 points so what”

But I know deep down that we, South Africans, celebrate mediocrisity, we celebrate short-term achievements, even if they are not significant. We may have 7 points, a point or 2 away from qualifying for the AFCON 2012… but what is the bigger picture?

I bet you a lot of teams, even the so-called minnows, do not fear Bafana currently; Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, all know that they can take on Bafana any day even though they’re not as well supported, financially and otherwise.

Egypt knew that chances of beating us were 80%... even in our backyard, and if you watched the game you’d have seen by they way they attacked compared to SA… now to me, that is the sign of a powerhouse and that is where I believe we should be as a soccer playing nation, with the resources and talent we have.

We have 2014 coming up, are we streamlining the young guns with that in mind because I would think if we want to aim big and achieve big things, we would play these boys against top opposition like Egypt… anyway, IT IS MY OPINION AND I HAVE ALWAYS AND WILL STICK BY IT until I see our boys moving in that direction.

Like someone said, the Pitso Mosimane’s of this world will call 23 or even 50 players for squad games, but 99% of the usual suspects will play… the new, talented young guns will come collect cheques and never experience or get to play against the Mohamed Aboutrika’s of this world.

Remember, the former and 2 other experienced Egyptian players (who won them cups) even started at the bench… what does that tell you about ‘vision’… my 2 cents worth… you do not have to personally attack me tu assomblief.

By Prince Mawela

SAFA's Call to Aaron 'Mbazo' Mokoena

2011-03-25T05:56:00.000-07:00

Aaron 'Mbazo' Mokoena receives a call from SAFA (South African Football Association) a night before the Bafana Bafana squad is announced for the Egypt game.

SAFA: How are you Mbazo aka the Axe men.
Mbazo: I am marvelous my...

SAFA: This call has been long overdue, been long coming. You see Mbazo you have 104 Caps for Bafana and you have been there all the time. Infact when under 23 were knocked out of the Olympics in Sydney you were there with them and for them.

When Bafana got knocked out in the AFCON 2000, 2004 and in 2008 (you were even made captain - always there my men) World Cup in South Korea.

You were there with the team and for the team even when Lucas suspiciously got injured you availed your self to be the captain and take his carry from where he left off (true leader). When the team fell from the top 20 to number 70 in FIFA rankings you were always there Aaron…

***Mbazo Close to tears…

SAFA: Again in 2009 During the Confederations Cup you lead the team from the back.

***Tears falling from Mbazo’s eyes…

SAFA: And when Diego Forlán Silenced 56 million Vuvuezelas you were always there for the team, Infact you tried to block the ball with your back but it went inside the goals eish...

***At this point Aaron can’t control it and burst into full tears trying to say thank you SAFA…

SAFA: When Bafana lost to the Youthful USA side you were there for the team!!! In fact throughout the bad experiences and bad patches in the national teams you were always there for the team...

***Aaron Mokoena: Thank you guys for your appre... (SAFA cuts in)

SAFA: Aaron what we are saying is 'Hayi maan you are bad luck' ... Futshek, You have been dropped from the National team, Uyibhadi maan... don’t call us we will call you...

By Xolisa Tango Nqodi aka Xoli

An open letter to Pitso Mosimane

2011-03-23T05:57:00.000-07:00

I was beginning to gain respect for Pitso Mosimane, he seemed to have done a good job of taking over from the Brazilian ghaffer without any hassle.

I'm also in awe of the way he quietly does his business like monitoring the progress of some of the overseas players and giving great advice to players when things are not going smoothly in their clubs.

Example of this is the advice he gave KG (Kagisho Dikgacoi) when he didn't seem to feature in the starting line up for Fulham, now he's playing regularly and is a key member of his Championship side.

With all that being said however I feel that the way he treated and disrespected Aaron 'Mbazo' Mokoena came as a shock to me and surely he should have dealt with that situation diferently. I'm really not impressed and I think Mbazo deserved better.

This is the man who sacrificed his club career for Bafana, when the likes of Steven Pienaar faked injuries and the Benni McCarthy of this world were being pre-madonnas, Aaron never turned down a call up and has been a loyal servant for his country thought the years.

I understand that players come and go, and maybe his time with the national team from what I see may be over, but Pitso should have showed him the respect that he (Mbazo) earned and deserved when or if the curtain on his career as a bafana captain is closing down.

Pitso must do the right thing, he must appologise to Aaron in a press conference and must outline his plans for the future.

Good luck to Bafana against Egypt on Saturday.

By Mzukisi "The ChickMagnet" Ngqeza

Should the Bafana Bafana squad for the Egypt game look like this?

2011-03-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

Should the Bafana Bafana squad for the Egypt game look like this?

Bafana Bafana will face a stern test from Egypt in their game on March 26. It’s going to be their toughest encounter yet under Pitso Mosimane and we expect them to make us proud. One thing for sure is that we are going to need our best team for the game and here is my idea of what the team should look like, depending on injuries and availability of players.

Goalkeepers
1. Itumeleng Khune
2. Wayne Sandilends
3. Darren Keet.

Defenders
4. Anele Ngcongca
5. Sboniso Gaxa
6. Tshepo Masilela
7. Mzuvukile Tom
8. Bongani Khumalo
9. Aaron Mokoena
10. Morgan Gould
11. Siyabonga Sangweni.

Midfielders
12. Steven Pienaar.
13. Simphiwe Tshabalala.
14. Tlou Segolela.
15. Matthew Patterson.
16. Kagiso Dekcacoi.
17. Reneilwe Letsholonyane.
18. Andile Jali.
19. Thanduyise Khuboni.

Strikers
20. David Somma
21. Katlego Mphela.
22. Bernard Parker
23. Thulani Serero

That’s my Bafana squad. My starting line up would look like this:

Itumeleng Khune – Anele Ngcongca, Bongani Khumalo, Aaron Mokoena, Tshepo Masilela – Steven Pienaar, Kagiso Dikgacoi, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Simphiwe Tshabalala – David Somma, Katlego Mphela.

That’s how I see it. What are your views?

By Siphiwe Hlongwane

Pitso Mosimane is more than a Bafana coach

2011-03-02T22:47:00.001-08:00

Pitso Mosimane's record as Bafana coach has been impressive so far, not only on the playing field where the team has displayed some exciting football – but also off the pitch where his work with the players is encouraging.

He has proven himself to be more than a coach to his players. He is building strong relationships with them outside of the national team set-up. He is a father figure to them and cares about their wellbeing. I strongly believe that the players will perform for him and we are still going to see the best of Bafana under jingles’ guidance.

I remember how he stood by Teko Modise when the chips were down for the “General”. Pitso didn’t turn a blind eye and he showed faith in the players’ ability by calling him for national team duty when most people didn’t approve. He was also instrumental in getting Siyabonga Sangweni back to his senses when the Arrows defender was frustrated after failing to get the move away from abafana besthende. Now “Nsimbi” as Sangweni is well known, is back to his doing what he knows best – stopping attackers on their tracks with those tough tackles.

It doesn’t end there, the national team coach also played a role in advising Bafana striker Bernard Parker to move to a club where he will get some game time. By doing that, both the player and the national team will benefit because we will have players who are getting some game time instead of bench – warmers who come to the Bafana squad with a bit of rust. Kagiso Dikgacoi is another example of how players are listening to the coaches and become proactive in their careers.

Pitso’s latest masterstroke was his facilitation of the meeting between Katlego Mphela and Sundowns President Patrice Motsepe. Now the striker is back in action and will definitely fight to get his place in the national team back. Bafana needs goals and Mphela can find the back of the net.

Jingles’ passion for the game is unquestionable and his brutal honesty will ensure that our national team players stay in line and continue to improve Bafanas’ status in world football. He learned a lot from his long stay as the assistant coach and that is showing in the way he approaches his job.

Sometimes teams need more than a coach, they need a leader and a father figure who will give them guidance beyond sport and Pitso is doing that perfectly.

By Siphiwe Hlongwane

Bafana Bafana name change long overdue

2011-02-13T23:56:00.001-08:00

Upon surfing the net this afternoon, I see that Safa are headed in the direction of a name change, among other things, for Bafana Bafana.

Well, it’s about damn time isn’t it?

Safa, which is the one sports body in South Africa that will always be in the headlines for screw-ups and double dealing and not for events on the field, took the resolution at a national executive committee meeting in Johannesburg recently. Safa president Kirsten Nematandani, Danny Jordaan and Alpha Mchunu are the individuals who have been appointed to see a change in a name which originated from the Sowetan’s sports department (former sports editor Molefi Mika, his deputy Sello Rabothata and S’busiso Mseleku) after the team was re-admitted to international football in 1991.

This action most likely wouldn’t have been taken if it weren’t for Safa losing its legal battle with businessman Stanton Woodrush, who owns the Bafana Bafana trademark. How Safa didn’t come to acquire ownership is just another mistake at an organisation that doesn’t have the best attitude towards corporate governance or spending. Heck, we don’t even know for sure whether former CEO Leslie Sidibe was fired or resigned. Reports have emerged that he received R1.3 million from the World Cup LOC for work done at the event. Sidibe couldn’t be reached for comment by local news media. Go figure.

Still, it’s about time this decision was taken and Woodrush’s ownership of the Bafana Bafana brand will prove a blessing in disguise for the embattled Safa leadership. Bafana Bafana means “the boys” in Zulu, not exactly the most endearing of images for our top soccer players to think about when donning the national jersey. There are also historical considerations, since it is and was a demeaning term used by those who wished to reduce the gravitas of the subject, often in racist circumstances. Considering the country we live in and the break with the past South Africa has been trying to achieve in its quest for a united country — still very much a dream today, yet not impossible — it would only be right to allow the national soccer team to start a new legacy with a name that suits their style of play and what they bring to the homes of South Africans everywhere.

What that new name could be is an extremely difficult question to answer, since even from the outset it can be approached from many sides. Whatever the committee chooses, once they finally get there (and something tells me this is going to take some time in the disorganised Safa fashion) let’s hope it’s a name the players, management and the country as a whole can be proud of.

So to Safa I say this: please, for goodness sake, don’t screw this up. Names are very important since they have a habit of defining what they signify, so once again, get it right and please do so the first time.

By Adam Wakefield
www.sportsleader.co.za/adamwakefield

Bafana must be more clinical

2011-02-13T23:55:00.003-08:00

Bafana Bafana managed to beat a weak Kenyan side by two goals to nil, but their performance was far from convincing. The team should have destroyed the hapless kenyans who looked out of sorts throughout the game.

Like in most games that Bafana have played so far, they managed to control the game and enjoyed a lot of ball possession against kenya. It is always good to see the team stamping their authority on their opposition, but we have to see the end result of their dominance, which is scoring goals. Against kenya- Bafana should have won the game with more than three goals, unfortunately the boys seem to run out of ideas when they approach the final third. In cases where they manage to penetrate the opposition defence, poor finishing lets them down.

Considering the fact that Bafana are preparing for a tough battle against Egypt, the lack of killer instinct in front of goals should be a worrying factor. Unlike the Kenyans, Egypt are far more technical and tactically astute, so Bafana will not have as many scoring opportunities and certainly they will not enjoy a lot of ball possession. That means the team will have to be more clinical and use almost every chance they get effectively. Or else they will be punished.

There was a few positives though that came out of this game. one of them was to see David Somma finding the back of net. It was not the best of performances from the striker but he really made his presence felt, even though he could have scored more. Hopefully the goal will boost his confidence ahead of the Egypt clash. One other player who was impressive as always is Steven Pienaar, it was good to see him getting his name on the score sheet, it would be good to see more of our midfield players scoring considering the fact that we don't have the deadliest of strikers available.

The performances of youngsters Andile Jali and Thulani Serero were also encouraging. They showed that given a chance they can develop into top performers and Pitso Mosimane is well aware of that.

As the team continues to climb the world rankings, winning games and playing good football, let us hope they will find their killer instinct along the way and start scoring goals.

By Siphiwe Hlongwane

State of our football address Jan/Feb 2011

2011-02-13T23:55:00.001-08:00

SAFA parts ways with Chief Executive Officer Lesley Sedibe “following an agreement by both parties” and Pinky Lehoko has been appointed as the acting CEO while SAFA will be conducting interviews trying to find a suitable candidate for the post.

Sedibe was on a 12 month contract with SAFA which ended sometime early January and he agreed to stay in SAFA offices until end of January 2011(what a good guy) and he apparently did a wonderful job in the office but... if he was such a star, why is SAFA not keeping him in the office permanently?

Well he (Sedibe) recons that ‘some people’ were setting him up to fail, a report from Sowetan says he left frustrated because of the happenings behind the scenes at SAFA house, saying some people were talking bad things about him. As to whom those people are and why would they do so is a mystery.

It looks like there are shady characters in SAFA.

While on that, one man who believes SAFA is not playing fair is Zambia’s Kalusha Bwalya, accusing SAFA of using under hand tactics during their (SAFA) saga with Burkina Faso regarding the FIFA’s International friendly fixture that was scheduled for 10 February which lead to South Africa snatching Zambia’s opponent Kenya.

The boring 12 years marriage of SAFA and Adidas has ended and Puma is seemingly the rescuer of our national teams, hehehe... football lovers are not happy about Puma from what I have observed and everyone is waiting in anticipation to see what Puma has in stores for Bafana Bafana before the hostility starts, since no one has seen the new Bafana Bafana kit sponsored by Puma that they were supposed to be wearing on their game with Burkina Faso (now Kenya).

Lesley Sedibe said (last month) the reason for the delay was caused by negotiations with the Department of Sports and Recreation in regard to the use of the Protea emblem which they have sorted out, it is now about a month since that but we haven’t seen the kit and allegedly Bafana will be playing against Kenya wearing an Adidas kit.

When I first heard this I thought it was a joke, but Kirsten Nemathendani’s serious face made me realise that it was indeed truth. I’d like to know what the arrangement is between SAFA and Adidas about this because SAFA-Adidas contract ended in December last year and it did not end pretty.

Strange enough, the reason for SAFA and Adidas fallout was because of Bafana Bafana replicas being sold without the Proteas emblem which Molefi Oliphant had instructed Adidas not to use because he was trying to cut the cost by not paying royalties to the Department of Sports and Recreation which were in the region of R100,000 per year.

Trying to cut cost... Money, Money, Money, money...

Now SAFA has announced that they are going to rename Bafana Bafana so that they can generate revenue whenever the new nickname of the senior boys is in use. I wonder what they are going to call it. One man who will be happy about this will be our former president Mr. Thabo Mbheki and I think SAFA should consult him when they discuss the name because he had beef with the national team being called Bafana Bafana.

SAFA is still negotiating Bafana Bafana broadcasting rights and while the negotiations are still going on, SABC doesn’t show any sign of changing their attitude about Bafana matches, because 1 problem from the public was that Bafana matches are playing second fiddle to the popular soapie Generations and SABC has decided again to flight Bafana Bafana vs.

Kenya match at 20h30 which is straight after Generations. I wonder if SAFA’s big shots will decide to take Bafana matches away from SABC or not. SABC is poking them in the eye, really.

Enough with men in suits and ties who sit behind desks at SAFA house, let’s run in the field.

Coach Pitso Mosimane has decided to drop Teko Modise and Katlego Mphela but he still has Kagiso Dikgacoi and Bernard Parker yet he claims that he does not select fringe players. Where is consistency in your side Mr. Mosimane? I mean Dikgacoi has not played a single minute of club football in... Let me see...in over 8 months, Mphela has only been boycotting participation in his team Sundowns for the past 2-3 weeks, who is fitter than the other here, Mphela or Dikgacoi? It is the similar story with Parker and Teko.

Yes Davide Somma is doing wonders in his team (Leeds United) but he has only played for Bafana Bafana once, so why is Pitso taking the entire goal scoring burden onto his shoulders? Since we are preparing for our encounter with Egypt next month with this friendly match against Kenya, it would have been a wise move for Mr. Jingle to try Mphela-Somma combination again to see if it could work for him.

Remember Nassief Morris? Eish! Old age... I’m waiting for him to say he retires from international football; Macbeth Sibaya is another one whom I’m waiting for his resignation.

Amaglug-glug and Angola match for 2011’s All Africa Games qualifiers is finally going to be played on Friday in Angola, the match was originally scheduled for 9th January but because RSA was included in this competition via questionable ways after the blunder by men in suits and ties who sit behind desks at SAFA house. I so hope that our under-23 team will win because if not, this would have been a useless exercise.

I wonder if Kalusha Bwalya will use this as another reason to justify his opinions about SAFA.

By Mokete Sethunya (Kiddo Snr)

Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana Squad

2011-02-03T22:21:00.001-08:00

KEN-YA DIG IT?

Bafana Bafana coach, Pitso Mosimane has picked his 24-man squad for the Burkina…er, Kenya game to be played next week at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium and has caused quite a commotion with some of his selections.

Let’s start with the good - Tlou Segolela
His goal against Free State Stars was brilliant but those with a long memory will remember him similarly outrunning the SuperSport United defence while playing for Bloemfontein Celtic and scoring a beauty of a goal. It’s well known in South Africa that a winger that can score goals is as rare as SAFA’s ability to do anything right, so he’s a welcome addition to the squad.

Thulani Serero
His age, pace, ability to run at players and a handful of other attributes has got me as excited as Julius Malema is about sushi parties. He also has an eye for goal and I think the less pressurised atmosphere of the Kenya game would make an ideal intro into the Bafana scoring charts.

Daylon Claasen
Though not really setting the Belgian league on fire, has been getting a good amount of game time and like Serero is young, fast and strong.

And then there were some pretty puzzling selections (note I don’t use the word BAD).

Kagiso Dikgacoi
He might as well have been at ZAR’s launch, having sushi eaten off his body – such has been his inactivity at Fulham. Pitso argued, without mentioning names that some senior players were chosen to just hang around and teach the youngsters the ropes. Right…

Then last but not least it’s…no, not Aaron Mokoena, but Rueben Cloete. Personally, the guy has been average in the left-back position and does as much attacking as a nerd to the school bully, but it’s perhaps down to a lack of depth that he was chosen. Only Pitso knows what’s going on here.

When all is said and done I’ll be in my off-yellow Bafana Bafana shirt, sipping a beer and singing “Hakuna matata”, while watching Bafana thrash the Harambee Stars. Ken-ya dig it?

Bafana Bafana Squad:
GOALKEEPERS: Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs.

DEFENDERS: Siyabonga Sangweni, Bongani Khumalo, Morgan Gould, Aaron Mokoena, Siboniso Gaxa, Anele Ngcongca, Siyanda Xulu, Mzuvukile Tom, Ruben Cloete.

MIDFIELDERS: Steven Pienaar, Andile Jali, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Daylon Claasen, Thanduyise Khuboni, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Matty Pattison, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Tlou Segolela.

STRIKERS: Davide Somma, Kermit Erasmus, Bernard Parker, Thulani Serero.

By Balekane Mokoditoa

Bafana Bafana Squad to face USA in the Nelson Mandela Challenge

2010-11-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

The National Team coach, Pitso Mosimane has named a fairly balanced squad of youngsters and experienced players. The goalkeeping department is sorted with the experienced pair of Itumeleng Khune and Moneeb Josephs.

In the defence there are two youngsters, Siyanda Xulu and Keegan Ritchie who may get a run in the match as they have been doing very well for Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroka Swallows, respectively. The defence also sees the return of Israel-based, Bevan Fransman who has been doing well for his team also.

The midfield sees the long-awaited arrival of Sundowns anchor-man, Matthew Pattison. The left-footed midfielder has been performing consistently for the Absa Premiership log-leaders since he came from Europe more than a year ago and it comes as no surprise that he finally found his way into the national team.

Young midfielder Daylon Claasen who plays his football at Lierse in Belgium has also being called up in place of the ageing Macbeth Sibaya. Kagisho Dikgacoi who has just recovered from injury also made a return into the team. Seasoned campaigners like Teko Modise, Captain Steven Pienaar and Siphiwe Tshabalala are some of the other players in the midfield.

In the striking department there is a surprise exclusion of Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela who has since recovered from injury that saw him miss few games for his club, but as it is said, one man's poison is another man's meat. His exclusion has made a space for 25 years old Davide Somma who has been finding the back of the net regularly for Leeds United this season.

There is also Kermit Erusmus of Supersport United who has been given another chance to show the national team coaches what he can offer to the team. FC Twente's Bernard Parker and Kaizer Chiefs' Sthembiso Ngcobo completes the four-man strike force.

Judging by the exclusion of wingers like Orlando Pirates dangerman, Daine Klate and Elrio van Heerden, it is evident that Coach Pitso Mosimane is going to continue with the system of playing without wingers, but opting for wide attacking midfielders instead, roles which are most likely to be occupied by Steven Pienaar and Siphiwe Tshabalala, on the right and left, respectively. In the central midfield the coach is likely to give the enterprising Orlando Pirates star, Andile Jali a first start and pair him with Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Thanduyise Khuboni or Matthew Pattison.

Khune is expected to keep goals and have Siyabonga Sangweni and Morgan Gould as his central defenders. On the right Anele Ngcongca is expected to do duty, with Tshepo Masilela on the left. With this being a friendly game the trio of talented Swallows left-back Keegan Ritchie, Daylon Claasen and Sundowns centre-back Siyanda Xulu are likely to be given some few minutes of play. Strikers Somma and Parker are expected to lead the team's attack.

By Hennie Kgare

FOUL!: The Secret World Of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging And Ticket Scandals

2010-11-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

Andrew Jennings, an award-winning investigative sports reporter, spent four years delving into the dark side of 'the beautiful game'. The result is this explosive and damning expos of the officials that run football's world governing body, FIFA, now fully updated with the political fallout from World Cup 2006.

No individual has managed to penetrate the sanctified domain of FIFA and probed successfully into its often criticized yet unproven corruption of the world game.

Until Now Author Andrew Jennings argues how FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his associates have misappropriated their position at the head of the world game in their desire for power, control, and a lucrative pay-off. How did these bizarre characters manage to take such control?

Foul! is the explosive story. Jennings has undertaken unprecedented research in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, interviewing hundreds of officials and amassing an extraordinary library of damning documents. He tells how Blatter and his cronies built an invincible electoral machine to keep him in power forever.

He revisits the 1970s and the privatization of international sport and its revenues by a close-knit group of officials and marketing agents working for their own self-interest. And he brings the story up to date with new disclosures about how Germany won the contest to stage the 2006 World Cup and the inside story on the dirty battle to host 2010.

Book Reviews of Foul!: The Secret World Of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging And Ticket Scandals

"I agree with Natasha, its an excellent book and shows what a corrupt organisation FIFA has become. After reading this book it did open my eyes to whats happening to professional sport (read it in 2006)......and my love of football, sadly will never be the same again."

"Execellent book. Jennings describes very complex corruption in an understandable, comprehnsive manner. Makes you want to lock Sepp Blatter away in solitary confinement for the rest of his life. I don't recommend reading this if you are a huge soccer fan as it will certainly damage your love of the game. FIFA tried to ban this book for good reason and I hope it will be translated into German very soon so the Swiss can read it."

"I was happy I ended up reading this. Andrew Jennings has clearly done his research into investigating the manipulation and corruptions that exists within FIFA. It is worth a read if you are interested in this sort of issue. However I found at times the facts presented were slightly repetitive and one-sided. Perhaps a more unbiased perspective would have enhanced the value of the book."

"I couldnt put this book down... Jennings has researched it superbly, and leaves me with no doubt that FIFA is a seriously sick organisation."

Source: http://www.flipkart.com/foul-andrew-jennings-secret-world-book-0007208693

My Dream, Your Dream for 2010

2009-10-12T04:14:00.001-07:00

The 2010 World Cup will mark the first time an African country hosts this prestigious tournament that makes the earth stand still for a month. The feeling is hard to describe… only when writing it using the word “beauty” can one illustrate what awaits us next year in JUNE – the beautiful game of football!

It makes one’s heart feel the joy of happiness… as we eat, drink, sleep, and breathe football eMzansi these days. President Jacob Zuma said ‘Working Together We Can’ make a better South Africa – it’s a statement that will apply to each and every South African as we must work together to ensure we host a fantastic World Cup.

A successful warm-up to 2010: The 2009 Confederations Cup was testimony to great success and, despite what many thought, we showed the world that we are capable of hosting one of Fifa’s biggest events. Even our beloved Bafana Bafana showed the hunger to win, bringing some smiles and hope to the nation throughout the event.

2010 stadiums awaiting us: The stadiums according to Fifa are 90% ready for ACTION after their recent visit to South Africa! When everyone (players and supporters) enters the stadium physically or spiritually for the first time on 11 June 2010 they’ll be having dreams like Martin Luther King Junior and Nelson Mandela! Yes like any South African, Brazilian or Spanish person, I will be dreaming of Bafana winning the World Cup. It may seem like Mission Impossible, but “YES WE CAN” like Barack Obama said before winning the USA elections… as yes I believe we can do it.

Shine your Vuvuzela and get ready: The trumpet has spiced up the beautiful game in South Africa… and also now in cricket, rugby and tennis tournaments one will at least see one Vuvuzela making the beautiful sound. South Africa is known for producing legendary music stars like Bra Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba and it was no surprise for the Vuvuzela to born in a country of historical music icons.

However, international media and other star players complained about the Vuvuzela during the Confederations Cup, calling for Fifa to ban it because it was disturbing. But Sepp Blatter told the world that to enjoy football in SA you need to enjoy their culture. So it’s 100% clear that I will be blowing my Vuvuzela come 2010 with you alongside me, wearing our Bafana soccer jerseys.

Business opportunities and job creation:
The great side – Fifa has produced thousands of jobs in South Africa from building stadiums and roads to tourism… with many people already benefiting. It’s not as big as everyone expected, but one can say having the World Cup in SA is a bonus for South Africans especially during this worldwide economic crisis.

The sad side – Unfortunately Fifa will not allow our mamas to sell our favourite dishes at the stadiums. However, it will be our responsibility as SA supporters to show the visiting supporters our culture of food. This will give them an idea of how we enjoy the game while chewing our favourite meal. It may not be the same as watching Kaizer Chiefs vs. Orlando Pirates eating Mama Moloi’s dish, but we will make the best out of it.

Expectations for Bafana Bafana: Our national team has failed in recent years to live up to expectations. However, as a South African I will put my negative thoughts aside and support the boys throughout the tournament. This will not be our first World Cup… as we have played in previous World Cups in 1998 (France) and 2002 (Japan and Korea) and our record is not GOOD or BAD, but OK after 6 games. We managed to lose 2, win 1 and draw 3 games.

Dream start for the host: In every World Cup the host nation’s dream is to start the tournament with a win. It would be good for South Africa to stay in the tournament as long as possible so the spirit of the event doesn’t die in the opening rounds of the World Cup. This has shown in recent tournaments that the longer the host nation stays… the more the event becomes spectacular.

Security, crime and prostitution: The South African government will be faced with three major issues come 2010: Security, Crime and Prostitution. It’s not clear yet whether the government will legalise prostitution or not. Crime is said to have dropped after the crime stats were released in September by the SAPS. The SAPS commissioner, Bheki Cele, has promised a clean World Cup with HIGH security all over South Africa during the World Cup. This is a great thing as we will be hosting millions of people across the globe and we don’t want any bad publicity.

Mzansi support: Is it easy to recognise a South African supporter? OK look for a person who is wearing the famous makarapa, dressed in cool home designed gear (clothes), has painted his/her face with the colours of the rainbow nation, having a written a banner probably saying “Shapa Bafana Shapa!”, blowing a plastic horn and singing our beautiful song “shosholoza”.

The support will play a major role in the World Cup and it will be everyone’s job to go out there and support Bafana Bafana whether they are in the stadium or not. The players will need the twelfth man to be behind them from the first to the last game. Bafana supporters including me haven’t smiled in years and this is the opportunity for the players to GIVE back to the supporters, as both need each other come 2010.

It’s quite clear that everyone is ready for the big tournament. My DREAM is for South Africa to host a GREAT World Cup and hopefully go as far as possible to make this event one to remember in years to come, one we can be proud to speak about… and share with our sons, daughters and grandchildren.

Dankie sani,
Proffesor Khumalo
proffesor.khumalo.diskioff@gmail.com

Thanks to these people as well: Baile, Mr. Know it All, Nito, Miss K, Tumisho, Thulani, Xoliswa, Mlungu, Doctor, Tebza, and all the contributors.

BAFANA BAFANA

2009-10-09T04:51:00.000-07:00

God bless Africa… It is very sad that we find ourselves in the same situation again. It seems before any major tournament we find ourselves wanting. Bafana Bafana are not playing the most enterprising football at the moment.

The recent games have been but a disappointment. It is so painful to watch Bafana Bafana it’s not funny. Our coach has a plan, which I hope is falling into place. It would not be fair for me to talk about Mr. Joel Santana’s track record with the team more so when I would be comparing it with some past coaches we had before, not at this time.

I would secondly shy away from the debate of a foreign coach versus a local coach. This debate is quite nice more so when the team is not doing well, and the local coaches are “reportedly” doing well. I tell you if the country was to vote on this issue, a local coach will win by a very big margin. Okay, again, this is not the time for such a debate because it would not help us win the games nor make us do better come next year.

I am a South African and I feel more pain when we (Bafana Bafana) lose, more pain than Joel Santana and Jaero Leal would feel combined. This is a fact, and having said that, it does not mean that our coach and the technical team feel nothing when the team is performing as they are. I do not honestly believe that we have (SAFA) employed people who do not have the best interest of South Africans at heart. So this issue of Carlos Perreira having failed us by recommending Santana, is something that would not help us at this moment.

Our coach has been very clear that we are building and learning from these friendly games. People were quick to point out that even huge buildings do come to a point where there is the roof. Well that is true and indeed we can’t build forever. But Mr. Santana was not referring to a huge building here. He was talking about building a team for 2010, in SA, where players see it growth to leave European teams to come play at home. Where the Championship winning team would rather field a B-side in the Champions League, because its not that lucrative compared to our PSL.

I am not in any way promoting mediocrity nor defending Mr. Santana. I am simply trying to be honest to the situation we find ourselves in at the moment. We have been down this path before, and Joel Santana was not there at the time. The man had a plan for the Confederations Cup, and the plan nearly came together.

Yes we beat the bottom team New Zealand. Yes we won one out of five, but the fighting spirit, the commitment and the kind of football we displayed at the time was something to be proud of in the first phase of the building process to a successful World Cup here at home.

I am not expecting miracles, but I know we have to do well cometh the World Cup, so does Ivory Coast, Ghana and any other two countries that will fly the African flag in the very first African World cup. I again look at the quality of all the other countries that are qualifying for the coming World Cup and I know that it’s not going to be easy. The battle that lies ahead is nothing we have ever seen. That is why we need to support our Bafana Bafana and the technical team during these trying times.

Firing the coach before a major tournament has never worked for us before, will never work, and let us not even make it an option.

I am confident of Bafana Bafana and our chances at the coming World Cup. There is simply so much at stake the boys will do us proud. They will be playing on home soil. The plan of our coach will be there for us to see.

The building process would have come to the point where the roof will be there. The learning will be put to the test. This is Africa, my mother land. The support, the drums, the Vuvuzelas, the spirit of oneness and the African soil will see us through to the next round.

God Bless Africa, its sons and daughters, its players and coaches, their World Cup and the LOC.

By Baile (Diskioff manager)

baile.diskioff@gmail.com
proffesor.khumalo.diskioff@gmail.com

SOUTH AFRICA 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP

2009-10-09T04:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, time flies. Not long ago, I was working part-time at a restaurant when Sepp Joseph remove a card confirming that indeed Africa will host the FIFA World Cup for the first ever and that the country that will do so is South Africa.

Although by that time there were lot of doubts across the world, worst of all was the fellow South Africans doubting SA’s capabilities of hosting the biggest sport event - crime and stadiums being ready for events were some of the questions doubting Thomas asked.

Fast forward, in just eight months and few days a World Cup will kick off on African soil for the fist time. Now that everyone is sure of SA staging the World Cup, let all South African citizens take part in making this World Cup the best ever. Everyone who will visit must feel at home.

I envy those that will open the African World Cup at Soccer City. For the majority that don’t have ticket to watch World Cup live, let all buy Bafana Bafana jerseys. I already see the changes, Whites, Asians, Coloureds and Blacks wearing Bafana jerseys.

I was impressed when I saw a group of white guys wearing Bafana jerseys at Protea (Cricket) games. The World Cup is indeed uniting SA, I can’t wait to see a Bafana jersey at a Springbok game.

SAFA have been on the wrong foot for most of time but with World Cup we have to give credit to them. They never gave up when we lost to Germany. They tried for the second time and here we are hosting the World Cup in a few months.

THANKS to the SAFA former president Molife Olifant, Danny Jordaan, Irvin Khoza, Mobarrack and staff at SAFA, and to our icons and heroes Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Thabo Mbeki and the Government. THANKS A LOT!

By DR NDIVHUWO

Email: proffesor.khumalo.diskioff@gmail.com

Who will attend?

2009-04-02T00:58:00.000-07:00

The issue of the coming World Cup is a very serious concern. Fifa through its Gen Sec have recently complained about what they termed poor attendance during the recent Nelson Mandela Challenge down at the Platinum Province, on the outskirts of Rustenburg, in the semi rural area of Phokeng.

South Africa is a developing country, and is in the continent of Africa. The majority of the people here live below the poverty line. That does not affect their love of football though. They would take their hard earned cash and go watch their favourate teams. This might not happen week in and week out, but most of the time there is a reasonable crowd at our stadiums.

They will go to the Computickets, Shoprite stores to purchase their tickets in making sure their beloved players hear their vuvuzelas. This is the only way they know will get them to the stadium, and the fact that most of the time they will get the tickets at the stadium. This is how they would have expected to make their way to the stadium come 2010.

These soccer loving fans can easily be classified into several categories.
The Lower class: These are the ones who are very passionate about the game and do not earn too much money. They go to most if not all the games of their teams and are always in the smoke of Dagga, on what is called the extra strong site of the stadium.

The Middle class: They do love the game and they aspire to be in the suites, and for them sitting on the extra strong is actually not their thing, but what can they do. Once in a while especially on month end they would be in the suites, or when their bosses are happy they would be in the suites and they would make everybody know about it.

Then the Upper class: For them going to the stadium is their way of Networking. They will always be in the suites and they do not care much about what happens on what happens on the pitch most of the time. These are the ones who unfortunately can afford to buy tickets to the world cup. The only problem is that they are very few, and hence the sales of the tickets are so low.

As for the way the tickets are sold and the prices thereof, the lower class are excluded big time. I would not even talk about the internet, because the majority of our supporters are not that computer literate. This is basically not for us the lower class. I went to the FNB branch to try to buy some tickets. It took all my lunch time to get to buy the tickets, and I was told that this is not confirmed that I will see the two games I choose.

Well, if you ask me, those that filled the Loftus Stadium when Kaizer Chiefs played Manchester United during the Vodacom Challenge, will have to go there and clap their hands when our Beloved Bafana Bafana take to the pitch during the world cup.

The lower class supporter...

Baile (Diskioff manager)
baile.diskioff@gmail.com

2010 FIFA World Cup tickets

2009-03-03T23:08:00.000-08:00

2010 FIFA World Cup tickets now on sale!
03 March 2009

Ticket sales for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are now open! Here’s some helpful information on how you can secure tickets for the 2010 World Cup. Having problems viewing the 2010 World Cup tickets video? Click here

When to apply
There are five ticket sales phases, designed to ensure that globally everyone has a fair chance of obtaining tickets to the 2010 World Cup match they want.

The actual ticket sales phases are:
20 February 2009 - 31 March 2009 Valid applications received for any match, or particular ticket category, that is over-subscribed, will go into a global random draw (this will particularly apply to ‘hot’ matches like the Opening Match, the Semi-Finals and the Final). This ticket draw will take place on 15 April 2009. Confirmation of successful applications will be notified approximately 72 hours after this draw.

4 May 2009 - 16 November 2009 Valid applications will be accepted and fulfilled on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – subject to availability for the match/es and the ticket category/ies applied for. Confirmation of successful applications will be notified within approximately 10 working days.

5 December 2009 – 22 January 2010, immediately after the Final Draw for the 32 participating nations. It is at this stage that the world will know who is playing who, when and where and the pressure for 2010 World Cup tickets will really intensify. All valid ticket applications received during this time will again go into a global random draw which will take place on 1 February 2010. Confirmation of successful applications will be notified approximately 72 hours after this draw.

9 February 2010 - 1 April 2010 Again, valid applications will be accepted and fulfilled on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – subject to availability for the match/es and the ticket category/ies applied for. Confirmation of successful applications will be notified within approximately 10 working days.

The fifth and final ‘Last Minute’ 2010 World Cup tickets sales phase will open on 15 April 2010 and remain open until the Final is played on 11 July 2010. Tickets will be purchased ‘real-time’ on a first come first served basis via http://www.fifa.com/ and over the counter at to-be-announced locations across South Africa.

How to apply
Residents of South Africa can apply for the 2010 World Cup tickets online or at a First National Bank (FNB) branch. Online 2010 ticket applications must be made through the ticketing website at http://www.fifa.com/. Remember that 2010 FIFA World Cup™ prefers Visa and that you should ensure that your card is authorised for online transactions.

Those applying for tickets in person must complete a 2010 World Cup ticket application form, which are available at FNB branches throughout the country.

The 2010 World Cup ticket application form must be completed subject to the household limitations on ticket purchases (a maximum of 4 tickets per household, up to a maximum of 7 matches) and returned to an FNB teller. The form will require you to choose which games you would like to attend, as well as supply personal details of the main applicant and guests.

When the form is returned to the branch, the teller will ask the applicant to make payment for the tickets. Once this is done the teller will load the payment onto a FNB Visa Zakumi Prepaid Card, which the lead applicant must retain to pick up tickets.

Applicants will not be able to spend the money loaded onto this card, until the application has been processed. However, it is possible to close the account prior to the successful processing of the ticket application and receive back 100% of the funds that were loaded onto the card.

If the 2010 World Cup ticket application is successful, the corresponding amount will be deducted from the FNB Visa Zakumi Prepaid Card and the applicant will receive an SMS confirming that your application was successful. If the application is unsuccessful, or only partially successful, funds will made available for you to use for other transactions with other retailers that accept Visa cards, or you can draw the full cash value at any FNB ATM.

Notification
Depending on the sales phases, 2010 ticket applicants will either be notified within ten days of their application (first-come first-served phases) or within 3 days of the completion of the random selection draw process. Applicants will be notified of whether or not their applications have been successful and how many tickets they have been allocated by SMS or email.

Applicants who do not provide email or SMS details will be required to call a ticketing hotline (083 123 2010) to determine the status of their ticket applications.

Ticket collection
2010 World Cup tickets will be available for collection from April 2010 onwards at FIFA collection points in each of the 9 host cities. The details of these collection points will be detailed closer to the time.

Customers who purchase their 2010 World Cup tickets online using one of their own existing payment cards will be able to use their payment card (the one used for the online transaction) at the ticket collection points to identify their order and print their tickets.

source: www.shine2010.co.za

Marketing 2010

2008-10-29T00:20:00.000-07:00

South Africa is for all who live in it. It’s only fair for some of us who live in it to raise our concerns with regard to our hosting of the biggest show piece in the globe, come 2010. My concerns do not make me less a South African, nor unpatriotic.

I recently visited the host city, Rustenburg. Well I expected to see something that would say to me, that Rustenburg is a host city. Maybe I expected to find a billboard that said, "Welcome to the 2010 host City". Or simply something you know. I walked around town, nothing. Well I was hoping to see Zakumi at least somewhere in the inner city; well He was no-wher to be found. I stand to be corrected though.

My trip took me to Phokeng, where the stadium itself is situated. Well there was nothing to say something about the world cup. All that draws attention is the fact that even from far, you can see that construction is taking place at the stadium, and it looks like all is smooth sailing in that regard.

Then again, it hit me, maybe, just maybe I expected too much.

I think it’s not too early to start creating the hype around 2010. People should start talking about the showpiece itself. We do not seem like we excited to host the 2010 world cup. Its Africans turn and the Africans seem to be simply waiting for Kickoff, nothing more.

All I am saying is that I am greatly concerned about the marketing of the world cup here at home. For instance, people should start understanding as to how much one needs to safe to attend at least a game during 2010.What if I am in Phokeng and would like to see a team that will be playing in the other Host City? We need to being visible, to ourselves, that we the host country.

I was hoping that Zakumi would do a bit of advertising for 2010, not that I expected him to make sure that there is the hype for 2010. We need to see Zakumi, let him go checkout host cities. Go to Schools, hospitals and all sorts of functions around the country. Whilst he (Zakumi) does that, our media should make sure they capture and [resent that moments to the soccer lovers, and every South Africans.

I understood we cannot do much marketing before the World Cup in Germany. But why are we so quiet. I remember well the hype in this country before the Cricket World Cup and the Rugby World Cups. So I know what I am talking about, before someone tells me that 2010 is still far. For us to have a successful showpiece, we need to get everybody on board.

South African soccer is lacking marketing big time. It shows with our national team, and lack of its following. The support in Bloemfontein is not an overnight success story.

Do we as South African love soccer? Or we simply like watching it on TV and talking all sorts of things about it afterwards? What should be done to create the hype around the country?

We need to do something, if we do not need FIFA to regret the decision to give us the right to host in 2010.

BAILE (Diski2010 manager)

Volume 2: Dear President

2008-10-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Dear President, I recall the days when people like you came back from exile with nothing but the clothes on your backs, this is when you appreciated the value of greedy black business people in this country, you were not in power and all the levers of the state were still very much in white hands. These greedy black business people (in your case Indian) kept you afloat all the way to the 94 elections.

Some of these greedy people had kept the sport alive in spite of all the difficulties of the apartheid era. Dipping into their pockets and running the sport with little corporate support. After 94, Football still remained a poorer cousin of all sport codes in South Africa, even then some of these greedy people found it in their hearts (and pockets) to bid for the 2006 world cup, they did not succeed, Charles Dempsey had other ideas.

These greedy people went further to again bid for 2010 world cup and succeeded this time, you see Mr. President not many people give them credit for that, they always refer to Madiba magic etc. but it was the hard work that these greedy men and women put in that landed us the world cup, by the time Mandela went to Germany, the deed was done.

You see Mr. President in the apartheid era, the only significant capital expenditure you can point at is the FNB stadium, built by the bank for the sport, look around the major cities and see what the apartheid government did for rugby, a stadium in every city, world class not HM Pitje or the former Orlando.

The 2010 World Cup forced your government to also invest in the sport just like the Krugers invested in rugby, it is because of these greedy men that Orlando is now going to boast a world class stadium, it is because of these greedy men and women that a soccer stadium is being built in Durban, and another one in Nelspruit etc. it is because of these greedy men and women that your government is investing in roads and telecommunications, aagh these greedy men and women. They have created so much employment it’s not funny.

You see Pres, these are the same people who decided that the public broadcaster was treating the sport with disdain and they were moving it to Supersport, what greed, sies. Now the players are earning better and the teams can hold on to the stars and they end up beating Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns. Damn these greedy men and women.

It is funny how people refer to football as a business only when it suits them, if football is a business, stop vilifying people who make it a business, start looking at the value people have brought to the sports through trying times to the days of milk and honey. If indeed its business you have let these people down by paying them pittance.

As for Bafana’s performance, please, until this country produces players worthy of playing in the top leagues in droves like Nigeria and Ghana, until the clubs win continental championships, until we get a top goalscorer scoring more than 15 goals and is South African, you fingers are pointed at the wrong place, so to close Mr. President, I am sure that we will meet at the Convention.

MR KNOW IT ALL

Dear President

2008-10-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

I hope you have by now settled in Luthuli House. Let me first congratulate you for the victory in Polokwane. It is really good to see someone who is willing to listen to the people and speak their language assend to Luthuli house.

I have all the faith in you and your NEC Together with the National Working Comitee. I know you are a very busy man, so I will go straight to the Point.

The PSL chairperson and some few Elites want to have R70 Million to themselves, simply to thank themselves for being the Administrators of football. Under their leadership however the country is number God know what under FIFA Rankings.

Again it was not hard to negotiate the sponsor, but they claim it was. There were offers on the table, and then they decided to go with Standard Bank, and then at the eleventh Hour they decided, no let’s go with ABSA. We are yet to be told what changed their minds.

Comrade President, you are my only hope. Dr Irvin Iron Duke Chairperson (Orlando Pirates), Vice President (SAFA), Chairman (LOC), etc; has become God in South Africa. He is untouchable and He is the one who is in need of the Millions and I tell you not even Jomo Sono can stop him. Its not that I dislike the man, He truly has done a lot (Even if I don’t know what), and His club is not doing well, but we all know that everyone is scared of him.

Please Mr. Comrade President, our second division teams are struggling. They are playing for nothing. Some of the PSL teams do not have sponsors, so you can imagine the Second division teams. I know you are for the people. Even the Young Communist League will tell you, this people are greedy and their power is making them corrupt. I mean R70m, Think about it Mr. President.

I wanted to write to Comrade Motlanthe, but again I was advised by Comrade Terror Lekota that it might take long since the country is being run from Luthuli House. So He told me I should write to you and avoid a situation where these fat cats might get the R70m by the time the letter gets to you.

Please take your machine gun and confront them I won’t vote any New Party or the opposition.

Lastly please Comrade, Deploy Comrade Malema within the SAFA/PSL Structures, and please tell him about the R70m issues, I know He will say something to this selfish, self centered, money hungry people.

BAILE (DISKI2010 Manager)

email: baile.diskioff@gmail.com

Bloemfontein will never let you down

2008-10-16T01:10:00.000-07:00

Let me not talk about the Bafana Bafana win over Ghana. The game was good, we won, and hats off to Bafana Bafana, go on and take a bow. You deserve it, you are the best.

People were talking about Ghana having brought the B side. Well to me there is no such and everyone who down the national team jersey is representing the whole nation. Well they might not have brought their stars, but after all we played Ghana, The black Stars.

My word, Bloemfontein does not seize to amaze me. This comes just some few weeks after I wrote an article on the Siwelele Supporters. I know yesterday it was all South Africans from all over Bloemfontein who went to the Vodacom Park to support the National Team, but truth be told. The Siwelele Supporters came in large numbers, and we need to applaud them. You could see their influence on the other fans.

These guys went out there to sell our football and this augurs well with our preparations for 2010. Everyone everywhere in the world who was watching the game yesterday would have seen that South Africans are passionate about their team. I have always stressed that with our support, Bafana Bafana would do wonders. The people of Bloemfontein have given a major task to all of us. They set the standard, the bar is being raised and I pity whoever has to host the National Team next.

What goes into making the support that we see in Bloem? Isn’t it about time we all go to Ntate Molemela for the recipe? What is it that Bloem Celtics is doing that all the other teams find it impossible to do? Aren’t the people there living below the poverty line? Are they all employed? Is it cheaper to watch the game in Bloemfontein? Are they using dollars?

These are all the questions that we all should ask ourselves. We always find excuses to go watch football. It’s expensive to watch a R20 game than to pay R200 Jazz session. If I had my way, I would take all the preparatory games of Bafana Bafana to Bloemfontein. The people there are ready for the World Cup, pity the National Team would be taken to Gauteng during the World Cup.

To everyone who was at the stadium yesterday, Thanks once, thanks twice, thanks thrice. Siyabonga thina e-Diskioff. You guys are the best. Keep on raising the bar. We at Diskioff will forever treasure you support guys.

To all other South Africans in other Provinces, let us respond positively to the challenge brought to us from the Free State.

Viva Bloemfontein Viva!

Baile (Diski2010 manager)

Away with the Springbok emblem

2008-10-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

I want to take my hat off as the Diski2010 Manager and be a South African, and nothing more. I have my personal experience with the White South African Rugby Supporters. Some good, extremely good, and some very bad. So there are two if not three Kinds of South African White Rugby Supporters. There are those that love their Rugby and are so excited to see a black Rugby Supporter. Secondly there are those that pretend to like the Black Rugby Supporters, but you can easily make the distinction when they drunk. There are those who do not hide their hatred for Black Rugby Supporters.

I am an infant Rugby Supporter. There are things that made me to love Rugby. The first time I watched a full game of Rugby was when we won the world cup at Ellis Park. I will never forget that day when we defeated the All Blacks (New Zealand). I stand to be corrected but that game did not have a try. What a Game, What an Atmosphere. Madiba (Nelson Mandela) was there, as much as Thabo Mbeki was there when we won the World Cup this year.

Now to the bone of contention, the Springbok emblem. I like it, it’s nice and the Springbok on that emblem looks young, energetic and humble. Nothing wrong with the animal itself. Actually I would rather have that animal on the Bafana Bafana T-shirt than the SAFA Emblem. That's just how much I love the Springbok, as an animal. But My problem is the Springbok the Rugby way.

We all know what it stand for the Rugby way, and everyone can come and plead his case, but it stood for Racial divide (Ask any Old white man who was there and believed no Black boy will wear the Shirt) and it still stand for Racial Divide That is why its removal caused so much noise. I met one white boy who said that we should leave their (Whites) Rugby alone as much as they left our (Blacks) football.

The future of the springbok emblem was cast in doubt with the announcement that the Parliamentary Sports Portfolio Committee had called for it to be scrapped in favor of the Protea, the country's national flower.

Mr. Hoskins defended the Springbok emblem. "Rugby believes that the Springbok emblem is actually a force for unity in this country and anyone who saw the tens of thousands of South Africans of all races flock to welcome back the World Cup-winning Springboks last October couldn't help but conclude that the public had voted loud and clear on just what they think about the Springbok emblem," he said.

I am not going to attack the defense, but all I am going to say is that we need to be unified, under one emblem, the King Protea. As to some fraction of the minority who wants to call the National side the Springboks, so be it. There are the Masses who call the Soccer National team Bafana Bafana and we can leave with that.

Baile (Diski2010 Manager)

Why do I say all this on Diski2010?

2008-10-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

We need that kind of support for Bafana Bafana. Can we all imagine all of us in the Bafana Bafana T-Shirts in a full FNB Stadium? We all singing, cheering our boys on. The kind of football they would display on the pitch, the commitment and the pride of wearing that T-shirt. They will all die with their boots on. Our players will all perform at team level, with the hope of being part of the National team. That will do wonders to the Standard of soccer in this country.

All I am trying to do here is to make all of us, the supporters, what we can do for our football. We are a very important part of the game, and without us football is nothing. The reason there is so much money in soccer today is all because of us, so why not take our football to the next level?

This is simply a plea to all of us to rally behind the Boys, and we need them to know that they might be in Guinea, but in spirit we 100% behind them. The game might not be that significant, but we know they are there to redeem their pride, our pride. They are actually preparing for next yea’s Confederations Cup.

Like they do in Bloemfontein, when all is not going their way, we also should say, "Re tla ba jara Bafana Bafana". Which simply means; “when they cannot lift themselves up, we will.” We will let them know that they are not alone. We will sing and dance with them. Come a WIN or a LOOSE! While they in Guinea, we will say, "Go Bafana Go, you carrying the hopes of our nation, your nation".

Baile (Diski2010 Manager)