BOLLOCKZ! Glyn Binkin on Bongani Khumalo's future, his fighting spirit, his talent - and Siya Sangweni's role in the AFCON failure

GLYN BINKIN has finally lifted the lid on Bongani Khumalo’s future in football – revealing he has no great pull to return to South Africa as “he has no family left here.”

Binkin also defended his player’s role at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year – pointing to centre-back partner Siya Sangweni’s role in the Bafana team that failed on penalties to reach the semi-finals on 

home soil earlier this year.

We spent two hours in the Ballz visual radio studio yesterday, discussing several of Binkin’s men – Morgan Gould and Mabhuti Khenyeza amongst them – but Khumalo’s situation is fascinating.

Binkin is understandably peeved about former Bafana captain Khumalo’s loan move to Championship side Ipswich falling through when Tottenham Hotspur changed their wage demands and insisted on being able to recall the Swaziland-born centre-back in January.

Binkin, who represents many of South Africa’s top footballers at home and abroad through “The Players' Club”, said: “Bongani’s been at Spurs for two and a half years now. He went on loan to Preston North End in 2011 on emergency loan and did really well until he broke a bone in his ankle.

“Then he went to Reading, started off okay, but after six or seven games, he lost his place and was unlucky. In January 2012 he went back to Spurs, even there he was training and playing in the reserves with Sandro, Cudicini, Kyle Walker.

“He was performing at a high level. Then he went on loan to PAOK in Greece. He only missed one game before AFCON where he captained South Africa.

“But while he was away, PAOK signed two permanent central defenders. He came back and found he had lost his place. But he’s always been a fighter, he upped his game.

“He was patient, he got back in the team and ended up playing 25 games in a League rated higher than Norway, Sweden and Denmark. They won the Champions League qualifying play-offs and was in unbelievable form.

“He came back to South Africa and went to train with Ipswich, played in a game on day three and did particularly well. Then he played another. He impressed. But when it came to talks with Spurs, the initial offer was declined. Spurs went back for more money, Ipswich agreed.

“But then Spurs insisted on a clause which said they could recall Bongani in January. Ipswich then had the opportunity to sign a centre-back permanently. The deal fell through.

“I don’t understand why Spurs did that. Now the first team are in Hong Kong, the development squad are in Portugal and Bongani is training on his own in London.

“Bongani’s always been a fighter. His life has been hard, people don’t realise that. His father – a linguistics professor at UNISA – is dead. His mother, a teacher, has also passed away. He is an only child. He has no family here.

“When Bongani was 15, he was scouted at a youth tournament in Ireland by Manchester United but his mother insisted he stay in South Africa and finish his schooling.

“He did that. Now he has this fight on his hands. There is no family reason to stay in South Africa. He could play here are earn good money with the big clubs in the PSL, but he wants to make it in Europe.

“I believe he has the ability and the fighting spirit to be the next Lucas Radebe, the next Mark Fish. A major defensive talent in Europe. There are a lot of similarities with Lucas. He struggled for a long time but he finally got the break at Leeds and now he’s a legend.

“Bongani is not going to give up. He will make sacrifices. He will forge a career in Europe.”

I asked Binkin if he thought Khumalo got a fair crack of the whip after he was lampooned for his “model C accent” while captaining South Africa during AFCON.

Binkin replied: “I don’t believe he had a bad tournament. He didn’t ask to be captain. It was an honour, he’d captained SuperSport to the title. Unfortunately he became a scapegoat.

“There were a lot of dynamics in that team that didn’t work in his favour. I have the ultimate respect for Siya Sangweni, he’s a fantastic player.

“But at the end of the day he’s a right-sided defender who scored twice in AFCON from the left wing! Did that suit the team? It was good that he scored, but it pulled the whole defence out of shape. Bongani got criticised for that. I don’t think that was fair.”

Glyn was a guest of BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, which happens every Thursday from 10am-noon. We also spoke to Wits coach Gordon Hunt, Mpumalanga boss Clive Barker and Tlou Segolela’s agent Tim Sukazi about the “political hazards” at Orlando Pirates. Those interviews will appear here later.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

#BOLLOCKS is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

KIRSTEN BOSH: Gordon Igesund to stay in charge of Bafana Bafana until 2018

Good Gord: Igesund and I before AFCON

GORDON IGESUND will sign a FIVE-YEAR contract with Bafana Bafana which will see the Silver Fox guide South Africa BEYOND the World Cup in Brazil next year to 2018.

Igesund will enter negotiations over a new contract on Monday, saying: “I want to see the job through. I’ve always said that.”

Though both big-spending Bidvest Wits and former club Moroka Swallows were lurking in the shadows hoping Igesund would leave the national job after AFCON, Igesund now seems sure to stay in place until the World Cup in Russia in five years’ time.

Despite failing to achieve his mandate of reaching the last four of the African Cup of Nations on home soil, the South African Football Association have come out in support of the man appointed in June last year.

Bafana went out to Mali, Africa’s third-best side, on penalties in the quarter-finals of AFCON 2013 on Saturday, having out-played their highly-ranked opponents for 120 minutes in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.

Last night on SportsTalk, the show I produce for Udo Carelse on Talk Radio 702, SAFA president Kirsten Nematandani said: “We would have loved to get to the final, but considering the fact we started with a relatively very, very young team and a coach who came in five months ago, we have been somewhere.

“Look, I think every federation would aspire to have a coach that goes along the cycle of the World Cup. That is that aim of every footballing nation, that ultimately you qualify for the World Cup. 

Gordon came in just five months back, surely to me it would make a lot of logical sense to have a long-term place for a coach.

“To me, at this point in time, Gordon is a man who has done us very proud as we talk. We set a target but when you don’t reach it, it’s not the end of the world. You still have to review the issues that come up.

“The time factor comes in… and putting together a team in such a short space of time. The next target is the World Cup. We shouldn’t be rushing to begin to feel all is gone.

“We have committees to deal with the issue of Gordon’s future. Now, during March, we will be preparing the team for the World Cup qualifiers. We need a long term plan that will sustain this organisation.

"You have to aim high. If this level of performance is maintained  there is no reason why Gordon should not be our coach until 2018.”

Igesund, gradually coming back down to earth after guiding his team through a run of four games against higher-ranked side without defeat, said: “What we have done is bring back Bafana playing with pride.

“You can’t walk in to the side anymore just because your name is Joe Soap. These players have shown their pride and passion.  The players who weren’t here will have to fight their way in to this team.

“We have come a long way in a short time, but there is a long way to go.”

In Gordon We Trust: two great levellers and a place in the quarter-finals. Hallelujah!

Good Gord: Igesund celebrates a place in the quarter-finals

FOUR months ago, when Gordon Igesund was talking at The New Age Business Breakfast at the Sandton Convention Centre, the conversation started.

On Sunday night, it hit some kind of peak as Bafana Bafana came from behind TWICE to get the point they needed to top Group A and qualify for the quarter-finals against Mali on Saturday night at 8.30pm. After twittering #ingordonwetrust for weeks on end in the face of the army of Bafana Bafana cynics, it finally started to trend.

And last night, as he found a quiet corner at the  Moses Mabhida Stadium during the Mali v DR Congo draw, he told Udo Carelse and I on www.702.co.za SPORTSTALK: "That scene at the end there? When we were all gathered in a circle? That was a prayer. We have some good Christian boys in this squad.

"You know me, I've always been positive. And I'm hoping it's rubbing off on the team. I believe we can go a long way in this tournament. There have been a lot of negative comments, but we are positive."

Right from the start, the odds were stacked against the no-nonsense coach from Durban. An opening “friendly” against Brazil, a trip to face Poland just before the European Championship on home soil, the retirement of Steven Pienaar, the tragic death of his assistant Thomas Madigage.

But Igesund battled on. He tried players like Riccardo Nunes, who took all his dead-balls before the Portuguese-South African-Slovenian was bombed out. Like Dino Ndlovu. And whatever happened to the PSL legends Andile Jali and Teko Modise?

Come Saturday night it was all to play for. The final game of AFCON’s Group A, South Africa needing a draw against Morocco. All those weeks of hope and desperation bubbling on the social networks with the media hacks hacking away.

And who could blame them? The pre-tournament friendlies against Norway and Algeria were hardly impressive. The opening clash with Cape Verde saw a third successive game without a goal.

Then the two-goal extravaganza at the Moses Mabhida Stadium gave renewed hope, gave us optimists a glimmer of light.

But when Morocco dominated and scored in the first ten minutes on Sunday night, the lights were going out all over South Africa. We prepared, stoically, for another elimination by the narrowest of margins of home soil, just like the World Cup in 2010.

Our only hope was that little Cape Verde would NOT beat their Portuguese pals in Angola. 

Then, suddenly, at around the 71^st minute in both Durban and Port Elizabeth, the world went mad.

I was in the TalkRadio 702 studio with Udo Carelse. Chaos. Our controller Owen Matjie let rip with a few roars right in the middle of a dramatic interview with EP Kings rugby icon Luke Watson. Papers flying, microphones shoved in faces. Were we in? Were we out?

Let me quote the BBC at this point. They describe it as “a night of unrelenting drama” as first May Mahlangu and then the tournament top-scorer Siya Sangweni – a centre-back - equalised for South Africa while the verdant Verdians produced two late goals to win 2-1 against Angola and send Morocco home with three points - and nothing to show for an unbeaten campaign.

In those last twenty minutes, any of the four sides might have gone through – at one point it looked like Morocco would go out on the fact they’d suffered more BOOKINGS than the tiny Cape Verde Islands.

Ultimately, through the tumult, South Africa emerged as Group A winners and they head to their quarter-final at the Moses Mabhida on Saturday with every chance of achieving Igesund’s initial target: a place in the last four of AFCON. Even if they don’t make it, they’ve given a sceptical nation a lift.

As things stand, the path to a repeat of 1996 sees Mali on Saturday, Ivory Coast in the semi-final - also in Durban - on February 6 before a possible final against Ghana on February 10.

Igesund remains apparently unfazed by the huge reaction to his side's unexpected qualification as group leaders. He said: "We had to dig really deep, the lads fought really hard today.

“Itumeleng Khune? Fantastic job, but the whole team did well. It’s a great occasion for the home team and I think we made the country proud."

“We still got work to do, but we’re in the quarter finals now, just two games to go until the final. At the end of the day, I’m proud of my players.”

The final word goes to Gordon. Asked by a journalist: “Do you believe anything is possible?” Igesund responded: “The question is, do you believe?” In Gord we Trust.

The Gord Delusion: Bafana's route to the quarter-finals is simpler than it looks

Goalden moments: South Africa waited 316 minutes for last night's goals

Bafana Bafana, fresh from their 2-0 win over Angola last night, face off against Morocco on Sunday in their final Group A clash. The game kicks-off at 7pm, simultaneously with Angola v Cape Verde at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

South Africa currently lead the group by two points with a game to go. A win or a draw will see them through but a defeat means qualification is not assured. The two top from each group qualify for the quarter-finals, playing the top two from Group B.

These are the permutations as coach Gordon Igesund goes in to a huge showdown with his supersub Lehonololo Majoro out of Sunday’s game with a gash shin.

1: If we beat Morocco we are through as Group A winners and play in the second quarter-final against the Group B runners-up (Mali, Ghana, DR Congo or, possibly, Niger). That takes place at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban on February 2 at 8.30pm.

2: If we draw against Morocco South Africa will qualify, but possibly not as group leaders. These are the possibilities:

a)      If Angola beat Cape Verde, Bafana go through as group winners.

b)      If Angola draw with Cape Verde, Bafana go through as group winners.

c)       If Cape Verde beat Angola by one goal, Bafana go through as group winners.

d)      If Cape Verde beat Angola by two goals, Bafana qualify but the side with most goals scored goes through as group leaders.

e)      If Cape Verde beat Angola by three goals or more, Bafana qualify as group runners up and go to the first quarter-final against the Group B winners at Port Elizabeth, 5pm on February 2.

3: If we lose to Morocco it could get nasty:

a)      If Angola beat Cape Verde, Bafana go through as runners-up on head-to-head result.

b)      If Angola draw with Cape Verde, we go through as runners-up.

c)       If Cape Verde beat Angola, Bafana are OUT.

South Africans worried Cape Verde may produce a “Portuguese handshake” on Sunday should not worry. Angola cannot afford to throw the game. If Angola beat Cape Verde and South Africa get a draw or a win, Angola would go through ahead of Morocco.

As for the rest, here’s the exact wording for what happens if teams end level:

In case of equality of points between two or more teams, at the conclusion of the group matches, the ranking of the teams shall be established according to the following criteria:
72.1.  Greater number of points obtained in the matches between the teams in question;
72.2.  The best goal difference in the matches between the teams in question;
72.3.  Greater number of goals scored in the matches between the teams concerned;
72.4.  Goal difference in all group matches;
72.5. Greatest number of goals scored in all the group matches;
72.6.  Fair Play points system taking into account the number of yellow and red cards;
72.7.  Drawing of lots by CAF Organising Committee

Knowing defeat is unthinkable, Igesund says: “Against Morocco there could be changes because Morocco and Angola are totally different -  different types of players with different styles of play.

“A lot of people will look and say I made changes against Angola because I was panicking but I was not. I took a risk and it had nothing to do with panicking. It was the kind of team I put out to win.

That’s what it’s about, having a team that you believe in that can go and get the job done.
“The reason I took my jacket off was because it was hot out there and of course this is a hot seat, I promise you.

“There were a lot of nerves involved I in the opening 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but I don’t think the players were as nervous against Angola.

“I want to say to every player, even the guys on the bench, that they stood up to be counted. We were under pressure but I don’t think it was unjustified criticism. We hadn’t been scoring goals and we know how people feel about that. As I said we just need to bounce back and these situations make us stronger.

“We don’t want to get too excited or carried away. It’s only one win.”

SCOTT CANNY, the marketing  manager of www.Sportingbet.co.za who will be on SPORTSTALK on www.702.co.uk, offers this analysis of the odds on South Africa going all the way to the National Stadium on February 10:

·       Bafana to win AFCON 2013

o   Before Match 1 (17/2)

o   After Match 1 (12/1)

o   After Match 2 (10/1)

·         Bafana were 11/10 to beat Angola last night and 12/1 to win 2-0

·         Bafana are 13/10 to beat Morocco and 21/10 to draw

o   This basically means we have a 40% chance of winning and 30% chance of drawing. So we have a 70% chance of securing qualification without having to worry about the other result!

·      

Could these be the reasons behind Bafana Bafana's slow start at the African Cup of Nations?

Host of a chance: Gordon Igesund's Bafana Bafana

TONIGHT South Africa play Angola in a match which will go a long way to deciding their fate at the African Cup of Nations.

They have two injuries - Kagiso Dikgachoi and Lerato Chabangu - and seriously wounded pride after that yawn-a-minute display against Cape Verde in the AFCON-opening 0-0 draw last Saturday.

The fact that Angola and Morocco also failed to score a goal between them at the National Stadium two hours later means everyone starts from scratch tonight. No goals, one point each, two games to play.

Bafana Bafana kick-off at 5pm. Morocco play Cape Verde at 8pm. After the Proteas snatch defeat from the draw of victory against New Zealand last night near the Big Hole, the nation desperately needs a boost.

If Bafana draw, which is fairly likely given recent displays, I have an awful feeling Angola will beat the volcanic Verdians in their final match on Sunday to qualify with Morocco, clearly the best team in the weakest group.

Tonight we hope for a miracle. That a side unable to score against a young Norway, a pedestrian Algeria and a land of 4,000 square kilometres of lava will be able to produce their first goal in 270 minutes.

Gordon has tried every combination from his front four of Tokelo Rantie, Katlego Mphela, Leohonololo Majoro and Bernard Parker. With Benni McCarthy and Siyabonga Nomvethe both injured, Gordon can hardly be accused of picking the wrong strikers.

I produce SportsTalk on www.702.co.za every night now with Udo Carelse. On Monday night we spoke to Gavin Hunt, the tough-talking Sir Alex Ferguson of South African football. He coached SuperSport United to three successive PSL titles around the World Cup and was short-listed for his mate Gordon's job four months ago.

Here's his take: "The Cape Verde game was like watching paint dry. I daren't phone Gordon to find out what's going on. I feel sorry for him. Half the players look like they couldn't be bothered.

"Siphiwe Tshabalala looks like he need a long holiday. On a Mauritian island. With a one-way ticket. He needs a break for football. He's not been at it for a while. And Thusa Phala's okay but he's like a fireman isn't he? Always putting it out."

At first sight, these are simply Gavinisms. But Hunt is not one for the glib. He's right. Bafana have looked a little bit off for a while now. I talked about it with Redi Tlhabi this morning. I explained how much I hope they get it right tonight.

But then I gave her the points below, as a guide to why South Africa's best players just don't seem fired up right now. Here they are. The possible reasons for failure - not excuses, not an off-putting attack on the team. Just the bare facts as I understand them:


1 On December 22, Bafana beat Malawi 3-1 in a friendly which led to the resignation of the Malawian coach. For that the players are supposed to earn R40,000 EACH (figures of NOTHING for a friendly defeat, R20,000 for a draw and R40,000 were revealed to Udo on SportsTalk last night by SAFA communications manager Dominic Chimhavi last night).

2 They were due to be paid that sum (plus a further sum for the preparatory camp before the game) two weeks ago. Last night Chimhavi told us they would be paid ON THURSDAY. AFTER TONIGHT’S GAME. He said: "Don't worry, we pay our employees." But two weeks later and AFTER the big game Dominic?

3 Tonight Bafana play the biggest game of some of their lives. Defeat against Angola will mean another crushing elimination on home soil, just like the World Cup... only worse.

4 According to my source, the players are deeply unhappy about this situation. SAFA announced the team had agreed to play without bonuses “until the latter stages” in fact, they were told there were no bonuses. That a discussion over remuneration will take place “maybe next week”. Dominic insists NO basic sums have been decided yet, even thought the tournament has begun.

5 A few weeks ago the City Press confirmed rumoured fears about SAFA’s finances. City Press reported the national football association have lost R56m in the first four months of the current financial year. They lost over R100m the year before. SAFA’s chief operations officer shrugged it off as “a cash flow problem” and has not returned my requests for an interview. I believe SAFA finances are in an awful state, just two years after hosting a World Cup.

6 I am also told two players were robbed at the Elangeni hotel during the build-up to the Malawi game. No report was filed, the robbery was hushed up because “the hotel is good to SAFA”. The two players involved lost cash, all credit cards, mobile phones and expensive watches amongst other things.

7 SAFA deny this. Dominic, who seems a nice bloke, emphatically said last night on SportsTalk that he was not aware of any robbery. That he had been in the same hotel throughout the Malawi camp before Christmas. But there was one. Ask Thuso Phala. Dominic, like the rest of us, was clearly not informed. Three weeks before AFCON Bafana were ROBBED at a luxury seafront hotel. And the team is staying at the Elangeni as we speak. Is it any wonder the lads aren't looking their best on the park?

It’s tough to motivate a side that is not, in their view, being sufficiently remunerated. Steven Pienaar, the Everton star and our only world class player, ended up out of pocket when he came over to play for Bafana. He retired shortly before this tournament. Others feel the same.

Gordon Igesund is trying to put out a competitive side tonight. He is doing so with one hand tied behind his back. Whether we like it or not, footballers are doing a job. They are not amateurs playing for the love of the game. YES, they care about the shirt, YES, they want to win. But proper payment and reward, as we all know, doesn't half help.

The boot is on the other foot: goalless Gordon finds himself in Pitso's shoes

Remember when: Gordon Igesund celebrating a goal, circa 1872

Suddenly Gordon Igesund finds himself in Pitso Mosimane’s shoes. And they’re not very comfortable. By Wednesday evening, he'll have his own footwear. Question is: will they be flip-flops or stillettos?

The awful goalless draw against Algeria after a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Norway’s unwanted youngsters was “very Mosimane” but excusable. A pair of meaningless, friendly slippers.

Gordon reassured the nation: “We are improving. You haven’t seen my best side yet. We are hard to beat and we will score goals,” just a week before Saturday’s big kick-off at the rechristened National Stadium.

Then, like Pitso, Carlos Alberto Parreira and a cast of hundred haplesscoaches before him, Igesund was entirely incapable of raising the game for the opening clash against minnows Cape Verde.

Awful. Embarrassing. Toothless. Boring. And those were the polite verdicts. The government has apparently declared all goals in South Africa “national key points” until the AFCON final at Soccer City on February 10. But that's okay, none of us have seen one in nearly 300 minutes.

Ghana and that famous medic Dr Congo shared four goals between them on Sunday to lift a tournament which started with that record goal drought on Saturday - but that is not enough for soccer-mad fans in the host nation.

Forced to endure traffic jams, ticket scares and bus disappearances in the build-up, what did Gordon offer to console the fans after his side’s drab opening? “My players froze up. We can’t afford to play like that again. The nerves got to them and a lot of players were hiding.

“They are very disappointed but we win together and we lose together. With Angola and Morocco drawing 0-0 too, we are now all on an equal footing in Group A. Let’s see how we can rectify the situation.”

Very Pitso isn’t it? The initial knock-kneed approach has morphed in to a genuine mistrust of the media, and if really thinks those two goalless draws on Saturday are good for Bafana, he’s fooling himself.

The scenario is this: South Africa draw against Angola on Wednesday, Morocco will crush the vocal Verdians. Then we’ll draw against Morocco in the final game – remember Gordon’s words after Algeria “we are becoming difficult to beat” – but Angola will then polish off the volcanic islanders to qualify with Morocco.

And that will leave an unbeaten South Africa waving goodbye to another tournament despite their privileged position as hosts.

Nobody wants that to happen. Gordon least of all. Even Pitso, wiping the smile of his face somewhere in Mamelodi or Chloorkop, doesn’t want that to happen.

Gavin Hunt, the SuperSport United coach who won three successive PSL titles and was short-listed for the hottest seat in South Africa outside of Nkandla, doesn't either.

He appeared on our new show SportsTalk on www.702.co.za this week and told presenter Udo Carelse: "I feel sorry for Gordon. Some of his players look like they couldn't be bothered. Siphiwe Tshabalalala needs a long holiday on a Mauritian island. With a one-way ticket. The guy needs a break from football.

"And Thuso Phala is okay. But he's a fireman. He's always putting it out."

Now only victory against Angola tomorrow night offers Gordon the chance of redemption.

And the last flickering flame of hope lies in these words: “We have to move on. We can’t harp on about Saturday. Football is a funny game (many English coaches have resorted to that one over the years) once we score a few goals and get the country buzzing, I believe we can go all the way.”

Wednesday evening, Gordon gets the chance to remove Pitso’s shoes and wear his own. Whether they will come back to kick him up the bottom remains in doubt.

To hear podcasts of our new show go to: http://www.702.co.za/podcast/podcast_sportstalk.asp.