AFCON 2015 special: Farewell Thulani Serero, good luck Shakes Mashaba, the complete guide to South Africa's January jaunt

Ready for action: Soccer Laduma's Joe Crann's take on Bafana
PLEASE CLICK ON THE RED BUTTON ABOVE AND VOTE!

SO Ephraim Mashaba has added Thulani Serero, the world class Ajax Amsterdam midfielder, to his growing list of unwanted players, though he failed to explain exactly WHY when he announced his final squad for AFCON 2015.

With Serero joining May Mahlangu, Ayanda Patosi and Kamahelo Mokotjo in the list of foreign players not needed for Equatorial Guinea. the storm clouds are brewing for Shakes, who has had his job as South Africa's head coach terminated due to ignoring the big-name foreign stars before.

Personally, I think it's madness (and may have something to do with Serero turning up in South Africa but failing to rush straight to the Bafana Boxing Day camp) but Mashaba got through qualifying - with Serero - unbeaten and top of Group A ahead of the reigning African champions Nigeria. So the criticism button is on mute, We have to stick to the "Shakes knows best" hashtag for now.

But forget all that. Apart from the absence of Kaizer Chiefs central defender Tefu Mashamaite, I understand the Mashaba attitude to players he considers unpatriotic for putting their European careers ahead of national pride.

It's worth noting the average age of this Bafana squad is 25.3, less than a year younger than Gordon Igesund's 23 (26.2) at AFCON 2013 on home soil. EIGHT players survive from two years ago - Bernard Parker, Yeye, Matlaba, Ngcongca, captain Furman, Rantie, Manyisa and Phala.

But what happens next for Bafana Bafana, now that they have finally qualified for an on-off Afcon shifted from Morocco to Equatorial Guinea due to the threat of ebola and (some say) poor ticket sales?

With the PSL on hold until February 10 the next big step is the friendly against Zambia the Orlando Stadium on Sunday.

OFFICIAL: the final 23 names for AFCON 2015

The 2012 AFCON champions finished second in their qualifying group behind Cape Verde but are the ‘pot one’ representatives in Group B for Equatorial Guinea. I’d imagine Shakes will experiment a little in his final preparation on home soil, resting the foreign players, trying a few combinations in the midfield and up front with Andile Jali’s knee, Yeye's post-Nigeria suspension and Tokelo Rantie’s shoulder all worth considering.

The squad will then fly to Gabon, west and south of tiny Equatorial Guinea, where they will play a friendly against Mali – in Group D for AFCON – before their final warm-up against Cameroon – also in Group D - in the capital Libreville.

From there, they head to Mongomo, a tiny city of 7,000 souls right on the border with Gabon, which gave rise to current President Teodoro Obiang, who has ruled the nation since erm… 1979. Given the local dictator was born in the region, much has been done at the local stadium, known as  Estadio Santiago Nguema Eneme, with the capacity raised from 5000 to 15000.

Spanish pitch experts IberGreen claim to have relaid the dodgy surface in “record time” over the weekend, though it might still be a problem when they host the Group of Death, as South Africa’s gang of four in Equatorial Guinea will soon find out.

So how does the AFCON 2015 schedule look? First up: the opening ceremony in the Bata Stadium on Saturday, 17 January, starting at 4pm CAT, which will be followed by the opening game between the hosts and Burkina Faso an hour later.

On Monday, January 19, Bafana Bafana face what will be the toughest test of this tournament: Algeria in Mongomo, at 8pm. The Algerians, impressive during the World Cup, are now Africa’s top ranked side and with a FIFA ranking of 15, their gathering of French-born, French-bred professionals may not be household names around the world but they are a seriously efficient outfit.

On Friday, January 23, it’s Senegal with their array of foreign-based stars, including Newcastle’s Papisse Cisse, kicking off at 8pm.

On Tuesday, January 27, South Africa play Ghana at Mongomo at 7pm. Though former Chelsea boss Avram Grant has ditched some of the great names – Muntari, Essien and Boateng – they remain a potent force with Asamoah Gyan apparently back in favour. As I’ve explained below, this is by far the toughest group in the tournament. South Africa will do well to come away with anything from those three African giants.

If Shakes and his boys surpass all expectations and finish in the top two in Group C, they go to the quarter-finals in Bata or the capital Malabo on Saturday, January 31 or Sunday, Febuary 1.

The semi-finals take place on Wednesday February 4 or Thursday, February 4 at the same two venues.

And finally, the final at the Bata Stadium on Sunday, February 8, though the third-place play-off is on Saturday, February 7 at Malabo.

Phew. Sadly, few South Africans will be there to enjoy the action live. SAFA sent me the Champion Tours itinerary for Equatorial Guinea. Just watching the group games would set me back a cool R82500 but that rises to R145000 if Bafana Bafana go all the way to the final. Guess I’ll have to sell the family jewels to get there.

Given the draw, South Africa will do well to get more than a couple of points in Equatorial Guinea. I don’t think I’ve ever seen luckier hosts and less fortunate South Africans – and I’ve covered a lot of them, rugby, cricket, football. But nothing quite like how this tournament panned out.

Below, I’ve given current FIFA rankings in an attempt to highlight just how hard it will be for Bafana Bafana. The easiest team in South Africa’s Group C (Senegal, 41) are way tougher than the hardest team in the hosts’ GroupA (Congo, 62) and it’s surely not by chance.

This is how the groups breakdown:

GROUP A
Equatorial Guinea 125
Burkina Faso 71
Gabon 67
Congo 62

TOTAL: 325

GROUP B
Zambia 78
Tunisia 31
Cape Verde 33
DR Congo 60

TOTAL: 202

GROUP C
Ghana 35
Algeria 15
South Africa 57
Senegal 41

TOTAL: 148

GROUP D
Ivory Coast 25
Mali 58
Cameroon 40
Guinea 55

TOTAL: 178

Unbelievable draw that. Still, having been quoted the price of a family car to make the trip, it’s unlikely I’ll be remonstrating personally with Presidents Obiang or Hayatou. Just as well I guess.

Good luck Shakes Mashaba. As I’ve said all along, you’ll need it.

Johan Neeskens: at last the brush-off for a doomed Dutch master

Now in traditional orange: the axed Johan Neeskens

WHEN “Joel the goal” Mogorosi was awarded the winner that wasn’t at themagnificent Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, Mamelodi Sundowns fans might rightly have expected a rapid response from their expensively-assembled squad, if only to save the career of their struggling head coach Johan Neeskens.

Instead, the bright orange Dutchman stood impotent and impatient as his time ran out against a far more reasonably priced Bloemfontein Celtic outfit, who never looked like losing their grip on the Telkom KO Cup.

Sure the goal wasn't over the line, but there was little question which team deserved victory. Neeskens can rant about mothers-in-law and off-form players all he wants, he proved again on Saturday he had long since "lost the dressing room" as the pundits like to say. He simply failed to get a response out of his billionaires, with the best and highest-paid of them, Elias Pelembe, languishing in the shadows.

A statement on the club's website from Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe said: “Johan Neeskens is a good coach whose experience and track record speaks for itself. He sacrificed and worked hard for the success of the Club. Johan will always have a special place at Mamelodi Sundowns and I wish him the very best with his future and career.”

“I am excited to welcome Pitso Mosimane to Mamelodi Sundowns and am confident that he will contribute to the success and growth of the Club. Pitso’s first major task is to ensure that we win games and finish in a respectable position in the Premier Soccer League, taking into account the very high standards we set for ourselves. Our current position on the log is extremely embarrassing and we have to restore the dignity and pride of Sundowns and our supporters.”

Our last public sighting of the Dutch master Neeskens, a 61-year-old World Cup finalist who won 49 caps and scored 17 goals for the Netherlands, was a distinctly shabby post-match interview with SuperSport’s bubbly Romy Titus.

When she asked him how disappointed his men were at losing to the sweating Siwelele, whose fans dominated a crowd of close to 33,000, he offered a snide sneer: “What do you think, you think they are not unhappy, they are not upset? I must see a replay of that goal. I don’t think it was over the line.”

It wasn’t. But given another below-par performance from the club ironically known as South Africa’s Brazilians, there was still justice of sorts on show.

It was a classic closing performance from a man who, apart from a brief spell in charge of NEC Nijmegen at the turn of the century, was rarely given the reigns as he played understudy to superior footballing brains like Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard with Holland, Australia, Barcelona and even Turkey’s Galatasary.

He was introduced as the brain from Barca when Patrice Motsepe added him to the fabulously expensive Johan Cruyff academy at Chloorkop last year. It was a mistake Msandawana were to regret. Heavily. Some get away with dodgy CVs when they come to South Africa, but the history of Neeskens, littered with the words "assistant manager" told a telling truth.

Neeskens promised to resign if he ended his second season as he endured the first, without trophies. He didn’t of course. In the end Sundowns President Motsepe had to fire the Dutchman, a couple of months after fans had thrown bottles and vuvuzelas at him following another inexplicably poor performance at Dobsonville. We are told the club reached an "amicable settlement" with the flying Dutchman before he zipped off to Oliver Tambo International Airport. I suspect he left with a sizeable cheque in lieu of his remaining contract.

Neeskens is not the retiring type. Most other head coaches, having spent more than anybody else in their division only to languish in the relegation zone, might have considered calling it quits. Not Johan. Oh no. Always aloof, keen on being chauffeur-driven by his technical staff and ignoring those players who didn’t live up to his European standards, Neeskens carried on for months after his best-by date.

Like Mark Hughes at QPR, he leaves a club in serious trouble despite serious spending. Sure, Sundowns managed a couple of points in recent weeks – notably a second League win of the season against Telkom KO conquerors Celtic last week – but in truth, they have been in trouble ever since the devastating decline began when they toppled off the top of the PSL midway through last season.

Seven points clear a year ago before the AFCON break, the Brazilians went nuts and slumped out of contention, allowing Orlando Pirates to retain their trophy despite a huge early-season deficit.

Sundowns simply never recovered. A poor end to last season was followed by a disastrous start to this one, despite that opening 4-1 MTN8 triumph over Kaizer Chiefs, who now lead the PSL.

Neeskens should have gone weeks ago. Would have, if mining magnate Motsepe hadn’t been too distracted to notice the players were no longer responding to his brand mumbling motivation. How many of them actually understood the Dutchman's broken English? I guess we will never know.

On Sunday, some five hours after I first tweeted the initial whispers of his imminent departure, club spokesman Thulani Thuswa was first to confirm the wielding of the axe, saying: “I can confirm that coach Neskeens and the club have reached an amicable agreement to part ways. The club president, Patrice Motsepe, praised him for standing by the club even when times where tough.”

And now, anxious Sundowners surveying the sunset await the arrival of failed Bafana Bafana boss Mosimane, a former player who must replace or control a technical team with attitude led by Trott Moloto and a host of former playing stars. There is also the small matter of Katlego "Killer" Mphela's knee operation to worry about. The top scorer's been out all season, though having been an old favourite for Pitso's Bafana we can probably expect a miracle cure.

If succeeding Carlos Alberto Parreira in the South Africa hot seat was tough, Mosimane would do well to consider with some trepidation the ejector seat vacated by Neeskens. Money they have, and talent. More than enough to end the season in the top half despite an awful start. But of spirit, style and salvation there is little sign. 

Pitso has seen hard times, harder headlines before. I hope he’s ready for more.

SOME of this blog will appear as my Neal & Pray column in www.thenewage.co.za this week. Read South Africa's brightest paper every day...

45 days: Chippa United set new record for shortest coaching reign

Chippa off the old block: Mpengesi appoints Mngqithi on July 9

Chippa United axed coach Manqoba Mngqithi just two games in to the new PSL season today, beating by ONE DAY the record held by Frenchman Jean Yves Kerjean, who was in charge of Black Leopards for just one League game in 2005.

After 180 minutes in the top flight,  a gutsy 1-0 defeat against big-spending Mamelodi Sundowns and an 87^th-minute 2-1 defeat against Free State Stars last night, Mngqithi prounounced himself satisfied with his promoted team. He said: "We stood our ground and were unfortunate to concede a late goal. I'm very optimistic and confident from what I've seen.”

Former Golden Arrows and AmaZulu coach Mngqithi, who surprisingly replaced promotion-clinching coach Roger Sikhakane on July 9, obviously hadn’t considered how his pointless efforts had gone down with controversial club founder Siviwe Mpengesi. And he was promptly sacked this afternoon with Chippa team manager Wanda Mbenguza saying: “We have agreed to part ways with the coach.”

Mpengesi said on Umhlobo FM tonight: "There was no direction, and the future wasn't bright so we decided to let him go while it is still early, before a lot of damage can happen.” 

Mpengesi, a 34-year-old former security guard from Ngqamakwe in the Eastern Cape, has turned Chippa Investment Holdings (who do everything from tree-felling to industrial waste, security to conract cleaning) in to a multi-million corporation since 2002 and his football team, as we now know, demands similar gut-busting success.

When Sikhakane achieved promotion after play-offs against Thanda Royal Zulu and Santos, Mpengesi famously said: "Roger is a coach who understands our team culture; I can't afford to have someone that will come with a different philosophy. I am happy with the coach and the technical team and that will remain the same with no changes.”

That was July 3. By July 9, Mngqiti was appointed with a flourish, saying: “I am excited about the new prospect. I did my own homework on Chippa. We will be aiming very high in the season.”

Now, 45 days later, Mngqiti is jobless. As far as I can tell, Kerjean was in charge of the Leopards from June 27 to August 12, 2005 before an opening 1-0 defeat against a 10-man Orlando Pirates – that’s 46 days. It appears we have a new record in South African football management.

But then what should we expect from a two-year-old club, still in nappies in footballing terms? The club was only founded in June 2010, when they bought out Mbekweni Cosmos, a Castle League franchise at the time.

In their first season, the Chilli Boys won the Western Cape Province section of the Vodacom League registering 26 victories, 5 draws and only 1 defeat. Then they cruised through the Vodacom Promotional Championship play-offs in June 2011 to qualify for the National First Division last season. At that point 

Then Sikhakane helped the club to finish in the play-off places in the NFD behind champions AmaTuks – and the rest is history.

My old pal from Umlazi Bush Bucks in the 1980s Mlungisi “Professor” Ngubane – currently in charge of Thanda Royal Zulu - is being touted as the next Chippa coach, though I would suggest former Moroka Swallows boss Ian Gorowa may also be a contender. The Prof took over from Chippa’s first coach Mike Lukhubeni before Sikhakane was installed at the start of 2012.

Either way, they shouldn’t expect much of a honeymoon from Mpengesi. Still, 44 days is not as bad as the world record for a football boss.

That’s held by Leroy Rosenior, who was in charge of England’s Torquay United for a grand total of TEN MINUTES in 2007. He was appointed just as a local consortium took over the club and named former Exeter City assistant manager Paul Buckle as their manager instead.

The final countdown: Pirates and Swallows battle it out LIVE on SABC

Pirates booty: will it be V for Victory for Augusto Palacios?

WE can ask only one thing of the Golden Arrows in Durban this Saturday. That they give as much as Queen Park Rangers did in Manchester last Sunday.

The build-up to the final weekend of South African Premier League fixtures holds just as much excitement as it’s English counterpart – enhanced by last night’s announcement from SABC Acting COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng that the two big games will be screen simultaneously on Saturday at 3pm - SABC 1 will show the Golden Arrows vs Orlando Pirates while SABC 2 will televise the Maritzburg United vs Moroka Swallows.

It’s not as if there hasn’t been enough excitement already this week. Roy Hodgson and Pitso Mosimane announced their international squads – how Woy could pick John Terry and not Rio Ferdinand is beyond me – and I was scrambling to get to eNews last night when Kenny Dalglish finally parted company with Liverpool shortly before Jomo Cosmos were officially relegated from the PSL after a 2-2 draw with Black Leopards.

This morning, it’s eTV Sunrise, where I will be refereeing a meeting of PROs – Moroka Swallows and Orlando Pirates will be represented and my old friend Neo Monyetsane wants me to keep the peace before we all get together on Saturday to watch the final showdown in South Africa followed by the monumental match up in Munich: Bayern v Chelsea for the Champions League.

And all this on top of the closes ever finish in the English Premier. History records that drama thus: QPR needed a point to ensure survival in the Premier League. Manchester City came to London needing a win to guarantee their first title since 1968. QPR went behind, then levelled - then they had Joey Barton sent off for elbowing Carlos Tevez.

Even as Barton's ugly departure - featuring further assaults on Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany - was dying down, QPR went 2-1 ahead, leaving City needing two goals to win it.

That Edin Dzeko and the same Aguero produced those two injury-time goals - the clincher came exactly 14 seconds after United thought they had won the title when the final whistle went in Sunderland - will go down as one of the greatest finishes ever recorded to an English season.

And South Africa can look forward to something similar on Saturday as the much-maligned Absa Premiership goes down to the wire in much the same way.

For the Etihad Stadium, read Moses Madhiba. For City read Orlando Pirates. For United at Sunderland, try Moroka Swallows at Maritzburg United. The Buccaneers need a win to confirm a record second successive treble. A draw or a defeat against the Arrows coupled with a Swallows win would take the title to Dube for the first time since the 1960s - a championship drought familiar to those other noisy neighbours, City.

And just as England's Premier was decided for the first time on Sunday by goal difference, a similar prospect looms in KZN on Saturday if Pirates draw and Swallows win. But can the Arrows really threaten to do a QPR and leave the nation on the edge of their seats?

Like the London Hoops, Durban's Arrows are hardly razor-sharp. Founded on the the streets of Lamontville in 1943, they first popped up in the old National Professional Soccer League thirty years later, before relegation in 1976.

The Arrows went back in the quiver after that, reappearing in 1996, when the Madlala family - today the club is run by Mato, the nation's only footballing chairwoman - bought a Second Division franchise called Notokozo FC and named themselves after the old Arrows.

Over the years, Ernst Middendorp, Zoran Filipović , Manqoba Mngqithi, Khabo Zondo and now  Muhsin Ertugral have tried to sharpen things up, but - despite finishing 5th in 2009 - on Saturday they play mostly for pride, standing safely in 12th position on the table.

Ironically, they come up against their own most experienced player ­- Siyabonga Sangweni  played a record 173 games for them as a youngster - when the desperate Sea Robbers come to town on Saturday on the final day of the 2012 season.

It was Sangweni who scored the winner against Bloemfontein Celtic last Saturday as the Pirates produced yet another veteran-inspired come-from-behind 2-1 win. It left the increasingly popular caretaker coach Augusto Palacios cooing: "We still have to win that last game in Durban. Not any other results we will accept. If we draw we are out, it is clear we need to win that game.

"Until we do that, then we can say we are champions, I can't say anything until we play that game against Arrows, which is a difficult game."

Swallows boss Gordon Igesund, threatening to win the title with a record FIFTH club, said at this week’s PSL press conference after his side's 2-1 win over Platinum Stars: "The pressure is all on Pirates going in to Saturday. Nobody expected Swallows to be here. Even if we don’t make it, will have achieved more than anybody expected."

Nobody doubts the Pirates SHOULD win retain their title. I believe they will, despite being the first sports journalist in South Africa to tip Swallows to emerge as shock contenders months ago. Palacios has shown surprising tactical nous and predictable Peruvian passion and deserves to have his caretaker contract extended.

Benni McCarthy and Tokelo Rantie are overdue a goal but the  still troublesome trio of Lucky Lekgwathi, Oupa Manyise and Sangweni have also shown an ability to score when the going gets tough.

But on behalf of all the neutrals - as well as Birds and Baxter-fearing Amakhosi fans - let's  Siyabonga Novethe adds to his magnificent 20 goals for the Birds at Maritzburg. And please Arrows, score first on Saturday. The football-speaking nation deserves a fitting finale.

Some of this article appeared as my Neal and Pray column in www.thenewage.co.za. You can catch me on Monday morning on eNews and eTV Sunrise, or follow me on twitter @nealcol.