Bafana Bafana must hit the goal spot

Watching Saturday night's Bafana date with the Algerians, it was not really that cosy romantic outing, as rubbery as it was. The hosts flirted well but the Arabs did not buy it. South Africa managed to dig deeper into a cocky situation that is desperate. Precisely, when it mattered, they failed to hit the spot.

As hosts, they have a free ticket to the tournament as well as having a new coach in Gordon Igesund, a few  warm-up matches old already, the expectations of doing well on the basis of the latest shows sends chills down my spine. They played a goalless warm-up match against the North Africans ranked second on the continent after their loss to Norway just days ago.

A draw following a loss is an improvement. Referees being less sympathetic following SAFA 'match-fixing scandals' make it an uphill task for the home country. While there were deserved penalty situation, the officials looked the other way. The bottom line, Bafana failed to do what championship contenders do; to convince themselves, the officials and the crowd that they are championship material.

For that to happen, Katlego Mashego and Tokello Rantjie have to score and not just once. They must do better than their displays so far. Bernard Parker, again, Shabba and Yeye must be more creative and ruthless.

The midfield has to work hard to close down attacks and make Bafana very hard to beat while being creative to open up opposition. There is not much time to sort that out. Judging by the recent inconsistency, playing the next six matches without a loss does not sound realistic and that would be fatal for the local game. Actually, scoring a goal in the next match is but a hope.

It is no brainer that the game of football presents us with similar supernatural trends in leagues and sometimes globally over certain weekends. One weekend or so in a year, we get all fixtures drawn, some weekends there are huge scores and in others, the ball just won't get into the net.

There are single matches that we witness and one gets assured that they will never produce a goal even if played for the duration of our lifetime. At least with Bafana, they threaten more with every match. Thinking like Igesund, a man does not enter the arena and climax, or should not. This patriotic optimism is built on emotion and hope.

When facing journalists, the coach puts up a brave face and assures the nations that 'cometh the moment, cometh Bafana'. Behind closed doors and in the dressing room, I guess he is banging the doors and keeping the water bottles, curses and swears. With clenched fists, he pounds the walls and rants his garments. What the team needs to do now, is to save him the blushes. Bafana must play to appease him. They may not have it in their feet and brains, but then, it must come from the heart.

As a football loving nation known for spectacular stadium shows and passion, they owe it to the fans. Following a mind blowing 2012 South Africa Fifa World Cup display on and off the pitch, the impromptu Africa Cup of Nations presents an opportunity for a better spectacle, again, on and off the pitch.

The difference is how the run-up to the tournament was positive then and lacklustre now. It was bigger nations then and smaller ones now. It was Carlos Alberto Perreira then and Igesund now. It was a mediocre run then and it will be better now.

A few days before meeting Carpe Verde in the opening match of the tournament, the South African hitmen are aware their preparation are nothing if they are linient and goal shy. There are no prizes for guessing that their priority will be to hit that goal spot. Ayihlomi' hlasele! 

Pitso won't let the sleeping dogs lie

Let's take interest in very interesting developments in South Africa where the national association fired a coach with a handsome handshake claimed to be around R5 million, his potential predecessors have been wildly drawn up as caretaker coach Steve Khompela and Moroka Swallows' Gordon Igesund.

And then, Rahman Gumbo was also caretaker coach after the suspension of alleged match fixing by Norman Mapeza. Unlike Pitso Mosimane of South Africa who went a winless 7 matches, the Zimbabwean coach is still to be hired and had been in charge of one match which he lost 0-1. Harare fans want him fired already.

If all women fired their husbands for being sterile after a single entry, divorce courts who be the most lucrative business. Taking the case of the two countries, theirs was a bachelor's party. Their one and only will be walking in the aisle in no time. How holy that matrimonial union will be is common knowledge. They all come and end the same way, like in Gumbo's case, before the honeymoon night is over.

Roger de Sa is the most qualified replacement for Mosimane, while media favourite, Gavin Hunt may feel he has a case after successes with Supersport United. He will have to enjoy following on Mosimane's foot-steps as he did at club level.

Knowing the South African Football Association, they have a novice Eastern European with a forged CV lined up. Their counterparts may be attempting to change their favourite beacon's name so as not to match the banned list records. The colonial mentality of SAFA embedded in race rivals the tribalistic ZIFA. The best part is that their recipes produce the same bread.

The long cycles of inactivity will be a bore to Hunt and Igesund and the 'tell it like it is' attitude of De Sa counts him out as the two parties are unofficial enemies. Admittedly, the temptation in the four-time PSL champion will be strong. Igesund is in his twilight coaching years. There may never be another opportunity, but his project with Moroka Swallows is unlikely to be compromised.

It is extremely hard trying to comprehend what the football administrators think, if they do. There is rarely a moment they pick the right candidates, even just for interviews. Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs promoted either development coaches or those with CVs claimed to be doctored for the purse. The arrival to the same point is guaranteed and the cycle will begin.

To spice up how brainy these fellows can be, just over a year ago, the Premier Leagues of the two countries announced with days that they intended to change their calenders and for exactly the opposite reasons. If the neighbours belonged to different time and weather zones, it would make sense. To make the point clear, to date, they both haven't moved an inch.

In any case, it was all about Mosimane, who is said to be taking legal action against SAFA for his unlawful dismissal.It may be on strong moral grounds or just crocodile tears, if the R5 million claimed he stands to benefit is a reality. If he strongly feels that way regardless of the fee he may get, he is a strong man and SAFA must keep him.

It is not every day that a man who knows what he is doing will fore-go that much money to embarrass himself. On the other hand, it is easy to assume that Mosimane did not put much effort in the job knowing what he stood to benefit. The legal action issue is to mud our faces and divert our thinking that he is a bitter man.

Given that he had two years left on his contract, or R9.6 million more to earn, he may be looking to get his loot, intact as it is and right now. It may be real that he is arguing over his record and it doesn't say much really.

After all is said and done, if anyone comes in touch with him, and he has banked the sack, just remind him how I wrote nicely about him over his tenure. I may not need my day job after that.