Cry the beloved Orlando Pirates

The home advantage myth suffocates football progress perennially. The recent ousting of Orlando Pirates from the Africa Champions League by the Angolan champions is the latest example. Home advantage is not an advantage. It must be made such.

South Africa’s Bafana Bafana‘s failure to participate in the AFCON 2012 was a

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result of thinking the home ground scores goals for the hosts. Both situations were repeats. The teams approach matches with an attitude of getting one result here and finishing it off there.

I coached teams that suffered the same fate. The amount of complacency in the technical department and the players can be annoying. Experience would have taught many clubs, but, year in and year out, the story is the same.

Football never responds to muti or juju anymore. Bafana turned on the style during the Confederations Cup and lulled in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. All African teams thought playing on the continent was a license to the Cup. Save for hosting,South Africa have a tall order to participate at any stage on merit.

The problems lie with the administrative and operational attitudes. The developmental structures are tertiary worries of the industry. The slide in the packing order is accelerated by easy targets from Zimbabwe. The northern neighbours are not even benefitting from dominating the ABSA Premier League.

The Zambians garnered enough experience to go on and win the AFCON. It would be mischief to say they must be thankful to South Africa, as some alluded. Chipolopolo had hearts of oak and the fighting spirit of a buffalo mother.

The South African league is not in the Top 10 leagues in Africa, thanks to the performance of Supersport in previous Africa Champions League and Orlando Pirates in 2012. The league lost the two spots to Zimbabwe who benefitted on the exploits of Dynamos in previous years. The Castle Premier Leagueranks higher than the ABSA Premiership.

The north and western African countries dominated these competitions at club levels and then their national teams bullied the south of the Sahara. To restore order, Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns,Supersport United and Kaizer Chiefs must find it worthwhile to play to win these Cups. The domestic league and Cups must be lucrative enough.

Maybe after all the troubles of fixtures, travelling and competing outside the borders, whatever price tag is on the prize is not worth the sweat to the club bosses. That affects the clubs themselves, the nations and the continent.

If players get paid well in their clubs, good business practise would dictate wasting fewer resources on futile continental commitments and national duties. This is great for their families and national teams suffer. Africa will remain a laughing-stock, but tho cares about Africa!

As for the Buccaneers, they did not defend at all when playing at the Orlando Stadium. The game became a proper match in Angola, but their fate was already sealed. Is there a chance they will make the cut next year? Time will tell, but given their erratic domestic form, only die-hard fans will put their treasured private tools on the vice.

From this desk, we can only say, ‘God willing’.

Tom Saintfeit denied work permit by Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe will have to look for another foreign coach. The nation known to be allergic to success had given a job to Tom Saintfiet of Belgium. The permit application of the former Namibian coach was unsuccessful. It means he has to go back to the Namibian Football Association to beg them to fire the current coach and give him the reigns.

Both clubs and the nation association of this diamond rich football loving state are known to be attracted to the failing foreign coaches. The local coaches have always had successes but that is not always what football there is all about.

Zimbabwe national team qualified for AFCON tournament twice under local coaches and the nation was unhappy with that success. Sunday Marimo and Charles Mhlauri did what foreign coaches will never do for Zimbabwe. Sunday actually took Dynamos to the Champions League finals while Rahman Gumbo has won more trophies and championships than any other local coach and still, Bosso and the nation do not like such success. It makes them vomit.

In 1995, the All-Africa Games under-23 teams reached the finals under Wieslow Grabowski and Barry Daka, yet that counts for nothing. I surely do not think Wieslow would be good enough, but then there are a lot other local coaches. I like foreign coaches, especially their accent when speaking English. The day that nation decides to win anything, they should go local, refrain from interefring with team selection so as to be able to throw games and just pay the coaches.

It is still to be seen how the contract Saintfeit signed will go. ZIFA may have a cool sum to pay for the termination of the contract and one cannot rule out the same mess Highlanders are in with Mohammed Fathi. Bosso are at pains literally, trying to see off their obligation to their favourite coach as the case is attracting the attention of the coach's embassy.

As for Tom, he was disqualified for engaging in employment activity without the necessary permit. ZIFA erred in letting conduct training sessions before the process was complete because they thought 'working' meant sitting on the bench in the match days, in that case, for the AFCON qualifier match against Cape Verde.

After Saintfiet's deportation, Norman Mapeza and Madinda Ndlovu were announced as joint coaches, with Madinda the head and Norman his deputy, by Ben Moyo, but the President of ZIFA gate crushed the training sessions after Moyo left and charged the 2 had 'same powers'. Mapeza has since withdrawn from serving his nation and the mother body confirmed that Mapeza was under-qualified for the job.

Madinda is currently the acting coach of the Warriors as they prepare for a friendly match against Mozambique. He will be assisted by Friday 'Amayenge' Phiri. Should ZIFA re-advertise for the post or they should just leave the Zimbabwe legends to do the job?

2012 AFCON Qualifier Results: Bafantastic Could Have Scored A Dozen.

Bafana Bafana were a class act at Mbombela Stadium when they played Niger. Katlego Mphela deftly chipped over advancing keeper and Bernard Parker acrobatically volleyed a cross from the right in the first half. Inept finishing made the small nation's goalkeeper to gain confidence enabling him to pull stunning saves in the 2nd half.

The 2010 Africa Cup Of Nations qualifiers were played around the continent and the South Africans will have to be in a better shape to beat Sierra Leone and the Egyptians. The defending champions. The Pharaohs are not known to be so charitable and goals may play a crucial role as to who wins the group.

Zimbabwe came out with an important 1-1 in Monrovia against Liberia. Knowledge Musona of Kaizer Chiefs was the scorer of the all important goal. Seeming weak group-mates, Cape Verde upset sleeping giants, Mali 1-0. The Warriors will need to be at their best to win the top spot in their group.

The Angolan coach was made to eat humble pie, I bet a very cold one, when he boasted of a good squad and went on to lose to Uganda 0-3. A highly paid expatriate still has a chance to get his act together in the next few games. Another highly paid expat coach from Ethiopia lost 1-4 at home against Guinea.

A local coach from Ivory Coast ensured The Elephants won 3-0 over Rwanda. It is sad that Algerian coach thought Tanzania was such a small nation that he resigned from his job after a 1-1 draw. Botswana's local coach, Stanley Tshosane, won his 3rd match in the competition, beating former FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Togo,  2-1. They previously beat Tunisia and Chad 1-0 and drew with Malawi 1-1.

Gambia beat Namibia who hired a new foreign coach 3-1 and Nigeria 2-0 winners against Madagascar while Africa power-house Morocco were held 0-0 by lowly Central Africa Republic.  Sudan beat Congo 2-0 and  Guinea-Bissau won 1-0  over Kenya.
Swaziland lost a home encounter at Somhlolo Stadium to Ghana 0-3 and Tunisia could only manage a 2-2 draw with Malawi. 

DR Congo 2, Senegal 4. Benin 1, Burundi 1. Mozambique o, Libya 0 and Zambia 4, The Comoros Islands 0.

2012 AFCON Qualifier Results: Bafantastic Could Have Scored A Dozen.

Bafana Bafana were a class act at Mbombela Stadium when they played Niger. Katlego Mphela deftly chipped over advancing keeper and Bernard Parker acrobatically volleyed a cross from the right in the first half. Inept finishing made the small nation's goalkeeper to gain confidence enabling him to pull stunning saves in the 2nd half.

The 2010 Africa Cup Of Nations qualifiers were played around the continent and the South Africans will have to be in a better shape to beat Sierra Leone and the Egyptians. The defending champions. The Pharaohs are not known to be so charitable and goals may play a crucial role as to who wins the group.

Zimbabwe came out with an important 1-1 in Monrovia against Liberia. Knowledge Musona of Kaizer Chiefs was the scorer of the all important goal. Seeming weak group-mates, Cape Verde upset sleeping giants, Mali 1-0. The Warriors will need to be at their best to win the top spot in their group.

The Angolan coach was made to eat humble pie, I bet a very cold one, when he boasted of a good squad and went on to lose to Uganda 0-3. A highly paid expatriate still has a chance to get his act together in the next few games. Another highly paid expat coach from Ethiopia lost 1-4 at home against Guinea.

A local coach from Ivory Coast ensured The Elephants won 3-0 over Rwanda. It is sad that Algerian coach thought Tanzania was such a small nation that he resigned from his job after a 1-1 draw. Botswana's local coach, Stanley Tshosane, won his 3rd match in the competition, beating former FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Togo,  2-1. They previously beat Tunisia and Chad 1-0 and drew with Malawi 1-1.

Gambia beat Namibia who hired a new foreign coach 3-1 and Nigeria 2-0 winners against Madagascar while Africa power-house Morocco were held 0-0 by lowly Central Africa Republic.  Sudan beat Congo 2-0 and  Guinea-Bissau won 1-0  over Kenya.
Swaziland lost a home encounter at Somhlolo Stadium to Ghana 0-3 and Tunisia could only manage a 2-2 draw with Malawi. 

DR Congo 2, Senegal 4. Benin 1, Burundi 1. Mozambique o, Libya 0 and Zambia 4, The Comoros Islands 0.

2012 AFCON Qualifier Results: Bafantastic Could Have Scored A Dozen.

Bafana Bafana were a class act at Mbombela Stadium when they played Niger. Katlego Mphela deftly chipped over advancing keeper and Bernard Parker acrobatically volleyed a cross from the right in the first half. Inept finishing made the small nation's goalkeeper to gain confidence enabling him to pull stunning saves in the 2nd half.

The 2010 Africa Cup Of Nations qualifiers were played around the continent and the South Africans will have to be in a better shape to beat Sierra Leone and the Egyptians. The defending champions. The Pharaohs are not known to be so charitable and goals may play a crucial role as to who wins the group.

Zimbabwe came out with an important 1-1 in Monrovia against Liberia. Knowledge Musona of Kaizer Chiefs was the scorer of the all important goal. Seeming weak group-mates, Cape Verde upset sleeping giants, Mali 1-0. The Warriors will need to be at their best to win the top spot in their group.

The Angolan coach was made to eat humble pie, I bet a very cold one, when he boasted of a good squad and went on to lose to Uganda 0-3. A highly paid expatriate still has a chance to get his act together in the next few games. Another highly paid expat coach from Ethiopia lost 1-4 at home against Guinea.

A local coach from Ivory Coast ensured The Elephants won 3-0 over Rwanda. It is sad that Algerian coach thought Tanzania was such a small nation that he resigned from his job after a 1-1 draw. Botswana's local coach, Stanley Tshosane, won his 3rd match in the competition, beating former FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Togo,  2-1. They previously beat Tunisia and Chad 1-0 and drew with Malawi 1-1.

Gambia beat Namibia who hired a new foreign coach 3-1 and Nigeria 2-0 winners against Madagascar while Africa power-house Morocco were held 0-0 by lowly Central Africa Republic.  Sudan beat Congo 2-0 and  Guinea-Bissau won 1-0  over Kenya.
Swaziland lost a home encounter at Somhlolo Stadium to Ghana 0-3 and Tunisia could only manage a 2-2 draw with Malawi. 

DR Congo 2, Senegal 4. Benin 1, Burundi 1. Mozambique o, Libya 0 and Zambia 4, The Comoros Islands 0.

2012 AFCON Qualifier Results: Bafantastic Could Have Scored A Dozen.

Bafana Bafana were a class act at Mbombela Stadium when they played Niger. Katlego Mphela deftly chipped over advancing keeper and Bernard Parker acrobatically volleyed a cross from the right in the first half. Inept finishing made the small nation's goalkeeper to gain confidence enabling him to pull stunning saves in the 2nd half.

The 2010 Africa Cup Of Nations qualifiers were played around the continent and the South Africans will have to be in a better shape to beat Sierra Leone and the Egyptians. The defending champions. The Pharaohs are not known to be so charitable and goals may play a crucial role as to who wins the group.

Zimbabwe came out with an important 1-1 in Monrovia against Liberia. Knowledge Musona of Kaizer Chiefs was the scorer of the all important goal. Seeming weak group-mates, Cape Verde upset sleeping giants, Mali 1-0. The Warriors will need to be at their best to win the top spot in their group.

The Angolan coach was made to eat humble pie, I bet a very cold one, when he boasted of a good squad and went on to lose to Uganda 0-3. A highly paid expatriate still has a chance to get his act together in the next few games. Another highly paid expat coach from Ethiopia lost 1-4 at home against Guinea.

A local coach from Ivory Coast ensured The Elephants won 3-0 over Rwanda. It is sad that Algerian coach thought Tanzania was such a small nation that he resigned from his job after a 1-1 draw. Botswana's local coach, Stanley Tshosane, won his 3rd match in the competition, beating former FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Togo,  2-1. They previously beat Tunisia and Chad 1-0 and drew with Malawi 1-1.

Gambia beat Namibia who hired a new foreign coach 3-1 and Nigeria 2-0 winners against Madagascar while Africa power-house Morocco were held 0-0 by lowly Central Africa Republic.  Sudan beat Congo 2-0 and  Guinea-Bissau won 1-0  over Kenya.
Swaziland lost a home encounter at Somhlolo Stadium to Ghana 0-3 and Tunisia could only manage a 2-2 draw with Malawi. 

DR Congo 2, Senegal 4. Benin 1, Burundi 1. Mozambique o, Libya 0 and Zambia 4, The Comoros Islands 0.