IT'S THE ENDO THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: Sundowns dreams shot down in Japan

AT FAULT: Mamelodi Sundowns Ugandan
goalkeeper Denis Onyango

FOR a delirious 45 minutes on Saturday, KaboYellow fans had every right to believe they were headed to a glorious final against mighty Real Madrid at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. Then came 45 minutes of heartbreak, a second half exposing all that is wrong with South Africa football.

The first half at the Suita City stadium was a dream. Percy Tau was rampant, Khama Billiat had a couple of chances - one from all of four yards on the slide - and Pitso Mosimane looked secure in his Champions of Africa castle with the big back door.

Hitoshi Sogahata was the villain of the piece for Sundowns, who had NINE shots to Kashima’s NIL in those fantastic first 45 minutes. Bizarrely, FIFA had captioned the scoreline “ZSC” for Masandawana (obviously they thought Egyptians Zamalek had made it!) and didn’t correct in to “SUN” until the 2nd half… and by then, the fantasy was fading.

Sogahata, who has played all his life at the Antlers, is a mature 37, he’s played four times for Japan since 1998 but 462 times for his club. Three great saves kept Sundowns goalless, and then there was THAT miss from the usually lethal Zimbabwean Billiat, who put Tau’s excellent cross wide from inside the small box.

MISTAKE! Sundowns were dubbed "ZSC"
throughout the first half by FIFA

At half-time, optimism was sweeping the nation. With the game on SABC thanks to StarSat’s last-minute climb-down on exclusive coverage, the social networks were buzzing. Pitso was a genius. Tau was a lion, Dolly was more popular than Barbie. Onyango hadn't been tested in goal.

But from the first touch of the second half, the Antlers showed the value of a good team talk, and a touch of tactical acumen.

With their wing-backs tucking in, the midfield was reclaimed by the Japanese, Pitso might have seen it before me but he didn’t react. Not until THE ENDO OF THE WORLD, with Yasushi Endo picking up a Mu Kawasaki cross and beating Sundowns’ keeper Denis Onyango.

When I say it beat him, it wasn’t a pretty sight. The Uganda player of the year and PSL goalkeeper of the season made a hash of the close-range shot, it wriggled out from underneath his writhing body and was actually put in by his own hand/head reflex movement.

Shocking, particularly with Sogahata producing a near-perfect 90 minutes at the other end.

CORRECTED! But Sundowns went in to
 a serious decline in the second half

But there was worse to come. Pitso finally threw on Zwane, but it was already too late. Then came Liberian striker Antoine Laffour when Sundowns appeared to finally realise they had to score to survive.

But there was no great urgency. No radical change of shape. The Antlers had Sundowns by the horns. In a dramatic reverse of the first half, Sundowns barely mustered a threat on goal.

And when Kanazaki added a goal of his own with the Downs defense all over the place, the sinking feeling became titanic. All the shortcomings of South African football had been ruthlessly exposed. Poor finishing, late changes, lack of fitness, tired defending and we’ll have to say it again POOR FINISHING.

We got the usual afterwards from Pitso Mosimane, whose PSL and African champions are starting to develop a habit of inconsistency in recent weeks.  

Clearly unhappy, the post-match interview was mercifully short: “We played very well against a very good team. Obviously you could see our finishing was not very good in the first half. They took their chances and we didn’t.

“Disappointed? What do you mean? It’s football. We are professionals. For us it’s a very good learning curve. They passed very well.

“We are learning, we did well, we just couldn’t finish.”

And captain Hlompho Kekana, who simply disappeared in the second half, basically respected his coach: “If we’d taken one of the chances we’d created, the game would've changed. We must take lesson out of this game.”

Lessons? Learning curves? No. The FIFA Club World Cup doesn’t come along regularly for South African football. We needed clinical finishing, decisive substitutions, a solid goalkeeper.

But hey, at least they got to Japan. They play Korea's Jeonbuk on Wednesday morning in a 5th/6th play-off game that could earn the players plenty to add to their African Champions League bonus.

FIFA are offering  $1.5m for fifth and $1m for sixth. So the difference is $500,000. R7.5m. Nearly as much as Cape Town City FC won for their Telkom KO victory against SuperSport United on Saturday.

The Antlers go on to play Nacional from Colombia, with Real Madrid likely to be their final opponents. Sundowns didn’t even get close to Cristiano Ronaldo. It's enough to make a weepy nation howl.

REMEMBER WHAT NAPOLEON SAID ABOUT THE ROAD TO RUSSIA: From COSAFA to Rio Olympics... to the World Cup qualifiers

PENALTY KING: Gift Motupa scored twice from the spot

ARISE Sir Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba. You lifted the COSAFA Castle Cup in Namibia with a young, untested Bafana Bafana squad. Nobody can EVER take that great night away from you.


But remember the words of another famous man who reached Russia with a squad of 600,000. Napoleon Bonaparte, who got to Moscow but paid the price, said: “To be defeated is pardonable. To be surprised? NEVER!”


Though it took penalties to defeat quarter-finalists Lesotho, ranked 155 in the world, the emphatic 5-1 semi-final win over Swaziland, ranked 117, was emphatic. And the gritty 3-2 win in the final at the Sam Nujoma Stadium was more entertaining than anything Euro 2016 could manage on Saturday.

We can safely ignore the bleating of Botswana’s coach Peter Butler, who said after his side had conceded two penalties and a goal that looked off-side: "This tournament will never gain any credibility when we have disgusting, atrocious, shameful refereeing.”

Butler conveniently forgot to mention the gift Reyaad Pieterse handed his side for their second goal, allowing an innocuous cross to slip through his gloves. And the first penalty was a clear-cut foul.

Though Butler, who played 70 games for West Ham in the early 90s, claimed Botswana “were the better side” and the refereeing was unquestionably poor, Bafana deserved their first taste of silverware since they last won the COSAFA Cup in 2008.

Mashaba was far calmer afterwards as his young squad danced with joy in Windhoek: “Well done to Botswana, they played very well, but we expected this.

“Since COSAFA started for us, we always came from behind and that shows the character is there.”

After a brief questioning of how COSAFA can actually improve football in South Africa, Mashaba should now shift his attention to the World Cup qualifiers, instead it appears he will now focus on the Rio Olympics with these youngsters, who fly straight out for a friendly in Japan with a week off before travelling to Brazil.

Rio will give South Africa some idea of where we REALLY stand in world football after a torrid two years under Mashaba’s leadership. Whether he will recall some of the heroes of Senegal or stick with the COSAFA squad remains unclear. Obviously Keagan Dolly will be roped in, but names like Norodien, Farmer and Lakay have quietly faded.

On their return, the U23s may or may not form the spine of the new Bafana side who face a tough task qualifying from Group D of the African World Cup qualifiers.

Worryingly, many in the South Africa media described Friday’s draw in Cairo as “easy”, but it’s not. In terms of world rankings alone, we are stuck in the 3rd toughest group of five. And only the group winners go to Russia.

Mashaba must accept vast improvement is needed. Having failed to qualify from Group M for AFCON 2017 in Gabon, Group D presents more serious problems.

The AFCON group WAS easy. Look at the world rankings. Cameroon 58, Mauritania 121 and Gambia 165. Compare that to the World Cup group: Senegal 41, Cape Verde 49 and Burkina Faso 73.

And we couldn't even manage a best runners-up spot for Gabon next year.

It appears Mashaba has coasted through his AFCON qualifying failure with a little help from the COSAFA success. We go in to the World Cup with a coach many are questioning and SAFA, with their President involved in the PE Mayoral race and Technical Director analysing Euro 2016 on TV, apparently unconcerned by what has gone before.

Mashaba himself says: "We could not have asked for a kinder draw. I'm happy but that does not mean it is going to be easy.

"There is no second best at this stage, only top teams in the group will be at the World Cup. We should be among them.”

But clearly he hasn’t noticed how many top level stars now play for Senegal, or how Cape Verde have gone to great lengths to attract players to strengthen their national squad. And Burkina Faso, the only side ranked lower than South Africa’s 68, are no pushovers either.

It’s not a matter of “we should make it”, Bafana Bafana under Mashaba remain minnows in the continental pool. If he gets our boys to Russia, Mashaba will confound the experts, tear up the form book. If only he realised that. Just look what happened to Napoleon after Moscow.



KAIZER CHIEFS NEW SIGNINGS

Below are the 21 names who have been in talks with Bobby Motaung since he discarded 20 players on the club web-site on May 31.

I believe the first 11 are CONFIRMED for 11am tomorrow when Football Manager Motaung announces his names, with the two youngsters taking the count to 13.

TWO of the additional players requiring fees may be unveiled, Anthony Laffor is close to moving from Mamelodi Sundowns. Apparently Motaung is hoping the stated fees for the remaining players will fall closer to the start of the season. 


The big overseas names like Steven Pienaar, released by Everton, and Tokelo Rantie, unwanted at Bournemouth last season, are not among them, though May Mahlangu and Anele Ncongca are "nearly affordable".

Bobby is keen on naming 20 players - equal to the number of unwanted - but will ultimately hand over a far more economical squad to Steve Komphela for the new season.

CONFIRMED:

1 Keagan Buchanan, 25, Bloemfontein Celtic (free) Midfield

2 Sbu Khumalo, 26, SuperSport United (swap with Keagan Ritchie) Defender

3 Ramahlwe Mphahlele, 26, Mamelodi Sundowns (free, signed pre-contract) Defender

4 Mitchell Katsairo, 26, Chicken Inn (R3m deal) Striker

5 Edmore Chirambadare, 24, Chicken Inn (R750,000 deal) Striker

6 Lebohang Mokoena, 29, Mamelodi Sundowns (free, released) Striker/wing

7 Kudakwashe Mahachi, 22, Golden Arrows/Mamelodi Sundowns (free) Midfielder

8 Evans Rusike, 25, Maritzburg United (possible fee) Striker

9 Joseph Molangoane, 28, Chippa United (free) Midfielder

10 Ennocent Mkhabula, 27, SuperSport United (released, free) Midfielder

11 Siphelele Ntshangase, 23, Black Leopards (disputed) Mid/striker

KIDS

1 Emmanuel Letlotlo, 18, Asidlali (new contract, promoted) Striker

2 Aviwe Nyamende, 23, Shumba Academy (new contract) Defender

FEES REQUIRED

1 Thamsanqa Sangweni, 27, Golden Arrows (R4m) Midfielder

2 Sibusiso Vilakazi, 26, Bidvest Wits (R12m) Midfielder

3 Justice Chabalala, ??, Free State Stars (R5m)

4 Thapelo Morena, 22, Bloem Celtic (R6m)

5 Prince Nxumalo, Ajax Cape Town (R4m) Striker

6 Anthony Laffor, Mamelodi Sundowns (R4m) Striker

7 Charlton Mashumba, Jomo Cosmos (R3m) Striker

8 Bantu Mzwakali, 22, Ajax Cape Town (R6m) Midfielder

South African football is in crisis, and here's why (includes video)

ONCE A PIRATE: Irvin Khoza, PSL chairman

DISKI Mzanzi is in crisis. South African football faces falling attendances, a dying transfer market, a merry-go-round of FOURTEEN coaching changes in a 16-team league.


We have barely recovered from an AFCON which saw Bafana garne JUST A SINGLE POINT when both of our African Champions League "giants" - leaders Kaizer Chiefs and current PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns - went crashing out in the first round.


There were no refereeing blunders, there was no intimidation, just humiliation. Failure.



This morning on the South African 24-hour news channel ANN7 (205 on your DSTV bouquet) I appeared on Peter van Onselen's "Phuka" morning show in an attempt to get across the true depth of the crisis facing our game. Though my football writing colleagues will rail against it and Twitter will issue threats, it's only the truth.



Denigrating South African football is not my agenda. Improvement, change, even revolution is needed. Just like Issa Hayatou, PSL chairman Irvin Khoza, the man who took over Orlando Pirates in the early 1990s, is in his late 60s and has been in charge of the game in this country for over 20 years.


And quite apart from the problems highlighted above, Khoza runs a club which closed its academy due to age cheating, he has refused to promote Eric Tinkler from his caretaker role despite unprecedented success and though his club pulls in MILLIONS in sponsorship, he refuses to spend money on his team.

He can't even run his club properly, let alone the PSL. And I am reliably informed it was Khoza who dictated the new conditions for agents in this country after FIFA's recommended treatment for "intermediaries"... though the legislation promised on April 1 has failed to materialise.


This is not an anti-Khoza rant, just a polite request for change. For truth. Though the South African media big guns - particularly Robert Marawa, Thomas Mlambo and the excitable Sunday Times "sports editor" BBK - will deny it, our game is not healthy.


As I say in the video below, our clubs don't scout for players, the rely on agents. Though there is a reputed R14,000-a-month minumum wage in the PSL, many youngsters are on a fraction of that. I know of one who has played 10 first team games this season and is on R2,000 a month. Another who played for Bafana at COSAFA and is on R6000... about the level of a supermarket shelf stacker.


From the bottom to the top - where Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates join billionaire Patrice Motsepe's Sundowns as the only clubs in the financial comfort zone - were are watching our game fall apart. There is no investment, no marketing, no sign of grass roots growth from Danny Jordaan's infamous FIFA Legacy Fund, a R500m post-World Cup 2010 bonus.


I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but it would be handy if a few people opened their eyes to the truth. Dr Khoza himself has acknowledged the influence of agents on our national head coaches; we have done NOTHING to establish who was involved in the pre-World Cup match-fixing scandal... SAFA won't even discuss their two most recent promises of a Technical Director and a statue for the murdered captain Senzo Meyiwa.



I don't make these things up. I don't enjoy endless repetition of the negative. But SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.

On tour with the AmaJimbos: why South African football has a brighter future than you think

On song: Tanzania and South Africa line up for the
anthems on Friday at Azam FC near Dar Es Salaam

IT goes against the flow to say South Africa have bright footballing future. Ranked 66 in the world and 14 in Africa, nowhere near the World Cup in Brazil, poor on home soil at AFCON and CHAN.

Bloody hell, we haven’t even got a head coach at the moment with Gordon Igesund serving out the final days of what was, barring a 1-0 win over now-not-so-mighty Spain, a dreadfully disappointing two years.

But I bring good news. We DO have a future. I’ve just returned from Tanzania, where our Under 17 national squad, the AmaJimbos, produced a creditable 0-0 draw against the young Serengeti Warriors at Azam FC, just outside Dar Es Salaam.

It doesn’t sound much, but believe me, these young South Africans will win the home leg and go on to play Congo or Egypt for a place in the African Youth Championship hosted by Niger next year.

It wasn’t the result which got to me at Azam’s neat little set up on Friday afternoon. It was the attitude, the drive, the ambition of our youngsters – and their SAFA back-up team.

Tanzania did all they could to unsettle a South African team featuring many youngsters – like Vuyo Mantjie from Harmony Academy in the Free State – who had never even been on a flight out of the country before.

Making their point: the AmaJimbos in action on Friday

They put is in the Sapphire Hotel, the kind of African palace you’d struggle to give one star. Stuck in the middle of the city with the local Mosque right opposite, the noise was unrelenting, particularly during Ramadan with the pre-dawn call to eat.

Ah, eating. Blimey, the food was dreadful despite assistant coach Shawn Bishop’s attempt to regulate the menu. The sight of 17 lads looking aghast at the prison food every mealtime was pitiful, they piled their plates high with bread and picked their way through stew after stew.

Basic hotel rooms with a single lift which forced even the old guys like me to run up and down the stairs didn’t help. The television channels offered one grainy view of SuperSport which came and went, the rest was… well, local.

Yep, the kind of place your missus would punch you in the head for if you ended up there on holiday. When head coach Molefi Ntseki raised some of these issues – including the unbelievable hour-plus drive to the stadium for training – the local football federation and CAF observers simply shrugged.

Walking out of the hotel was not recommended – I did a bit of exploring, it’s a fascinating, sweltering city. But when goalkeeping coach Stavros Tsichlas took us out on the final night after the game, the truth was revealed. Dar Es Salaam is no African hell hole. Barely a mile away, towards the coast, the city turns in to a beautiful seaside resort with swimming pools, plush hotels… and decent television with broadband connections!

On the road: AmaJimbos on the bus

But did our youngsters flinch? Did their heads go down? Not a bit of it. From huge SuperSport United goalkeeper Mondli Mphoto to captain Nelson Maluleka, they drew together, singing on every bus trip, dancing their way through the warm-ups after the daily blue-light drive through the chaos of Dar’s gridlocked Chinese-inspired busses.

The game itself – watched by a crowd of nearly 5000 on a sweltering Friday afternoon – was all South Africa’s. Wits front-runner Luvuyo Mkatshana had a third-minute goal ruled out – wrongly – for offside (I haven’t seen the replays, but assistant coach Bishop has got the local television coverage) and Khanyiso Mayo, the striker from the Eastern Cape, saw chance after chance go begging on the rubber-based astroturf surface.

The now-traditional Bafana Bafana problem of goal-scoring came home to roost. Mpoto – with a range of distribution right up there with Itumeleng Khune – was barely tested as Sundowns’ Notha Ngcobo terrorised the Tanzania right back and Keanu Cupido – one of SIX starters from the SuperSport United academy – soaked up everything at the back.

Putting some PSL clubs to shame: the crowd at Azam FC

Afterwards, coach Ntseki consoled a side disappointed by a sweat-soaked but goalless effort: “Heads up, heads up… you’ve done your country proud. Don’t be down about this, we’ll win it at home.”

Afterwards, in the more salubrious surrounds of the Sea Cliff casino, Ntseki and Bishop talked about the problems of goal-scoring which plagues our game. Solutions – involving former Moroka Swallows striker Noel Cousins, now a striking coach at Sundowns – are being sought.

But the message to take from Tanzania is not a glum one. These 17 boys and their SAFA handlers sneered at adversity. They took on board a first taste of travelling north in Africa. And they didn’t break. They sang.

No I in team: the AjaJimbos

These lads are our future. There is abundant talent – the AmaJimbos suffered some withdrawals due to the Engen U17 tournament taking place back in South Africa on the same weekend – and few African nations can match the resources of a nation which takes its own water and sports drinks on such trips and fights so hard for their boys.

Look, Congo or Egypt will be tough. But wherever SAFA decide to play the second leg against Tanzania next week – from Dobsonville to coach Ntseki’s spiritual home in Botshabelo – that hurdle will be reached.

And these players will march on, with valuable lessons learned. Bafana Bafana has a future. It’s just a matter of believing in our youth.

Picking the AmaJimbos: Molefi Ntseki and Shawn Bishop

SOCCERBALLZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za with Mark Fish airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. Ballz will also provide daily World Cup updates from next week.

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

SOWETO DERBY SPECIAL: Willard Katsande, the industrial diamond, puts Kaizer Chiefs a cut above the rest

Rare diamond: Willard Katsande about to score the
Soweto Derby winner yesterday, with Senzo Meyiwa
beaten and Sifiso Myeni a mere spectator

SOME diamonds don’t sparkle. Some diamonds are industrial. Some diamonds are forged in the depths of the earth for drilling and grinding.

While their expensive cousins sit on the end of gold pendants and draw admiring looks for doing very little, the industrial diamond - tougher than any other substance known to man - simply cuts through the crap and does the job.

I put it to you m’lady: Willard Katsande is an industrial diamond. But as 90000 witnessed at Soccer City on Saturday, he’s a gem none-the-less in Kaizer Chiefs’ glittering array of double-winning sparklers.

Look, it’s no good pretending Stuart Baxter’s tactical genius won the Soweto Derby on Saturday. Or blaming former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Vladimir Vermerzovic for dropping Happy Jele and Thabo Matlaba.

It’s no good pretending the latest clash between the Soweto rivals was a classic, though the last half-hour was pleasantly hectic as Kaizer Chiefs held out for a telling 1-0 triumph.

And, Lehlohonolo Majoro, you really can’t blame the AmaKhosi for booing you after that controversial flit between South Africa’s two biggest clubs.

Forget all that. This was Katsande’s day. The man I described on twitter on Friday as “the best player in South Africa this season”. Blimey, did I take some stick for that one. After the game, typically, he had little time for self-embellishment. Industrial diamonds don’t bother with all that pretty stuff.

“We stuck to the game plan,” he growled, “We worked hard, we worked as a team. I did my job. But it was nice to get a goal at last. It was long overdue but it was an important one.”

Before the start on Saturday I sent Mbax an SMS complimenting South Africa’s most successful current coach for picking “a positive line-up” which included all THREE of the big guns he dropped for 2-0 midweek defeat against Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

Having seen his 17-game unbeaten run since November 5 ended by Allan Freese’s men, Baxter put Knowledge Musona (the nation’s top scorer with 13 goals in all competitions), Bernard Parker (the PSL top scorer with 10 League goals) and Kingston Nkatha in his starting line-up. Goals aplenty loomed.

The truth is, it didn’t quite work. Buccaneer Mpho Mokola worked like a whirlwind in a first half where, against all the odds, Pirates actually had the upper hand. With Oupa Manyisa and Kermit Erasmus also doing good work, Chiefs were wobbling at times in a dullish opening 45 minutes.

Though stand-in goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse made two comfortable saves, only one Chief really stood up to be counted in the opening stanza. I like to call him “KARDSANDE” due to Willard’s reputation for gaining a yellow card in every appearance as he charges around the midfield keeping control, regaining possession, winning the ball, keeping it.

So it was only right that South Africa’s premier defensive midfielder should score the only goal in front of 92,000 people on Saturday.

It was no rip-roaring snorter. And it was his first in 67 games in the PSL. Simphiwe Tshabalala’s corner was probably too close to Senzo Meyiwa. But Nkatha blocked the keeper’s route to the ball and Katsande popped up on the far post to scramble the ball home.

After his first EVER goal celebration in South Africa, the 28-year-old Zimbabwean returned to his day job and spent the frantic last 30 minutes doing what he does best: snuffing out the Buccaneers as they desperately sought the equaliser.

There were times when he tackled with his shins, cleared with a rogue knee or blocked with the back of his head. But Katsande, born in Mutoko on January 15, 1986, never gave up. Spotted by Bobby Motaung while playing a friendly for Zimbabwe v Zambia in 2011, Katsande’s arrival at Naturena in from Ajax Cape Town two years ago didn’t make much of a ripple in the transfer waters.

But having tackled himself to a standstill in a shock 1-0 win over mighty Egyptians Al Ahly in 2010 for Gunners FC, Katsande already had an established reputation as a Makalele defensive midfielder to the north of our borders. Gunners FC lost that African Champions League tie in Cairo but went on to win the Zimbabwean title with Katsande at the heart of their midfield in 2010.

Not that Katsande’s rise was meteoric. He started out as a teenager with Frontier Steel (2002–2005) and Feruka (2006–2007) before moving to Highway (2007-2009), a bunch of lads from Mutare renowned for their giant-killing exploits. That’s when the Gunners stepped in. The rest, as they say…

History of course, can take strange twists. Baxter sent me a two-word SMS after the Derby. It said simply “IMMENSE KATSANDE”, but he also admits: "I’ve told you this before, when I first saw Willard at training, I told (assistant coach) Doctor Khumalo ‘He can't play for Chiefs, he’s too reckless!’ But he’s worked so hard since then, he deserves all this.”

After Saturday’s Soweto Derby, Baxter chatted a bit about a poor first half and the changes he made at half-time. But then came the quote that mattered: “Yes, we packed the midfield. WITH ONE MAN. The guy over there with the Man of the Match award. Willard Katsande was incredible today.”

And that, in a nutshell, was the story of the Soweto Derby. With Bidvest Wits upset 3-1 by Free State Stars on Saturday night, who’s to say Katsande’s rare goal isn’t the most important strike of the season?

 BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

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.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and charity bets for our Wingzofchange charity!  

The big-kick off tonight: Stuart Baxter's AmaKhosi go from the hunters to the hunted in Mpumalanga

THE big PSL kick-off tonight sees double-winning Kaizer Chiefs take on promoted Mpumalanga Blacks Aces at Mbombela – and AmaKhosi boss Stuart Baxter admits: “We are no longer the hunter, we are the hunted.”

Facing a side bolstered by 68-year-old AFCON-winning coach Clive Barker and an estimated 16 transfer window signings, Baxter told me on BOLLOCKZ! “The boys are conscious of the difference now after last year. Everybody knows what they’re getting now, they’re chasing us.

“They’re all working, it’s a double whammy, in the past everybody wanted to beat Kaizer Chiefs, ow they want to beat the champions - let’s get on with it!

“We’ll get us to being the hunted not the hunter. Clive Barker, a like a lot. But I don’t know much about his team with all those signings! We’ll prepare our game, Knowledge Musona is as ready as he can be having just come back to the club.

“Even at Manchester United at Chelsea, players have to settle but Musona is looking solid in training, a great asset. But as you say, Aces aren’t your usual promoted team.

“But they could also start slowly, so many are new. Clive will win them up for this and it could be a very tough game.

“We’ve got AmaTuks in the MTN8 quarter-final a week later. It’s a Barker double – Clive and Steve – it’s a tough start. They both organise their teams well, make sure they’re competitive.

“Clive’s team will be structured and organised. We’ve got Moroka Swallows early on as well. The only injury problems are Siyabonga Nkhosi’s calf injury and Keegan Richie went down yesterday with an aggravated Achilles tendon.

“And George Lebese is suspended from yellow cards which are hanging over from the season before.

“Apart from Orlando Pirates, all the teams like SuperSport United and Wits are trying to be like Platinum Stars, coming from off the radar with no pressure on them.

“People have invested a lot of money, that’s where the trouble will come from!”

The opening round:

TONIGHT        Mpumalanga Aces      20:00     Kaizer Chiefs

TOMORROW    Golden Arrows           15:00     Ajax Cape Town

TOMORROW    Moroka Swallows       15:00     University of Pretoria

TOMORROW    SuperSport United       20:15     Free State Stars

TOMORROW    Maritzburg United        20:15     Polokwane City

SUNDAY         Bloemfontein Celtic      15:00     Mamelodi Sundowns

SUNDAY         Platinum Stars              15:00     Bidvest Wits

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon. 

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!

An Urgent Warning for Bafana: Mozambique's Mambas are highly dangerous

Danger: Elias Pelembe

Message: Urgent. Delivery data: Mbombela Stadium before 8.45pm tonight. Eyes only: Gordon Igesund. Header: BAFANA WARNING.

Message reads: Gordon, beware. Stop. Mozambique won’t be easy. Stop. Pulled off one of THE shocks in AFCON 2013 qualifying over weekend 2-0 against Morocco. Stop. And while you’re jetting in from Sao Paulo, they only have to drive a couple of hours along the N4 from Maputo to Nelspruit. Stop. Keep an eye on Elias Pelembe. Stop him. Ends.

Yup, I’m hoping that top secret alert will get through to Flash Gordon and his boys before tonight’s big kick-off on SABC1, where viewing records fell as Bafana Bafana put up a brave fight against five-times world champions Brazil on Friday night.

What a performance. Professor Jonathan Jansen, the increasingly puzzling peacemaker from the University of the OFS, put out a tweet complaining about South Africans “celebrating defeat” and I told him in no uncertain terms: “Then you know nothing about football.”

Friday night at the Morumbi Stadium on Brazil’s National Day was no ordinary 1-0 defeat. Only a late goal from R6bn man Hulk -  yes, Givanildo Vieira de Souza cost more than the entire Bafana squad when he moved from Porto to Zenit St Petersburg last month – robbed Bafana of the draw they so richly deserved.

The locals, thoroughly fed up by Brazilian boss Mano Menezes, gave South Africa a far louder ovation than their own “Selecao”,  with Itumeleng Khune starring in goal behind Siya Sangweni, who emerged after the match with the fabulous Neymar still in his pocket.

There was a period, for 15 minutes after half-time, when Bafana were clearly the better side. Before Igesund’s decision to remove the silky Lerato Chabangu instead of the sulking Siphiwe Tshabalala, South Africa were putting passes together and making Brazil look decidedly ordinary in front of a whistling 52,000 crowd.

Even when they lost a further TWO strikers – Dino Ndlovu (dislocated shoulder) and Benni McCarthy (hamstring) – Bafana remained unruffled, with Thulani Serero probing, Bernard Parker engaging and surprise captain Bongani Khumalo completing a dynamic defensive duo with Sangweni.

Defeat or not, this was not a bad night for South Africa football. Igesund pronounced himself “satisfied”, as did a glowing Khune.

Khumalo, while “thanking God” for the armband, raved: “We were working for each other. There was good character and spirit. We must continue with this, go forward, not look back.”

Then there was this extraordinary tribute to Igesund from the experienced McCarthy. Despite an injury after 10 minutes which will keep the former Porto, Blackburn and West Ham striker out for six weeks, South Africa’s only Champions League winner oozed: “Wow, Gordon is different class. He has that Jose Mourinho feel (irie) to him. He brings the best out of the players.

“He makes every player believe in themselves. He jokes with the players and he makes them laugh and smile. He makes us feel invincible.

“I think we did very well against Brazil. Every person has their own opinion but as a team we are proud of our coach and our game.”

Tributes don’t glow much more than that. But amid the general euphoria over the world’s 74th ranked side coming so close against Brazil, ranked an all-time low of 12^th, Sunday night brought a swift reality check.

That came with the news that Morocco – 68th in the world – had been soundly beaten 2-0 by our neighbours – and tonight’s friendly opposition – Mozambique, currently ranked 109^th.

Elias Pelembe – the Mamelodi Sundowns star who is one of South Africa’s best-paid players – scored the second and made the first for Almiro Lobo at the Machave Stadium in Maputo, quieting a restless home crowd who had booed Jerry Sitoe for an early miss in a goalless first half.

Before his meeting of minds with Igesund, the Mamba’s German coach Gert Engels admitted: "We were very patient and everybody knows that the second leg in Morocco will be hard work if we are to reach the AFCON finals. My players are in good shape for South Africa.”

Tonight, with the Mozambiquans travelling a mere 205kms along the N4 from Maputo to Mbombela, Igesund’s injury-stricken Bafana will still be recovering from their 7441km trek to Sao Paulo and back – a return trip of over 15000km.

Igesund insists he does not need reinforcements before tonight’s game. He will continue with Bernard Parker, his one fit striker, up front (unless you count Golden Arrows front man Thamsanqa Gabusa, who hasn't played a match all season) and keep faith in the Boys from Brazil.

He may be right. But can he possibly instil the same level of commitment against modest Mozambique as he did against mighty Brazil?

Igesund said yesterday: "We played very well against Brazil and the boys were all fired up and they need to be equally pumped up when we face Mozambique. We need to have the same passion, drive, commitment and attitude in all our games. We are facing another formidable side."

Exactly. That opening defeat against the Samba Boys was no disaster for Bafana fans accustomed to disappointment under Pitso Mosimane. But a mauling against Mozambique - and a rare home defeat - may just end Igesund’s short honeymoon. Let’s hope he really can render his jet-lagged squad “invincible” tonight.

This article first appeared in The New Age newspaper today as my Neal and Pray column. See www.thenewage.co.za. 

Exclusive: Gordon Igesund on Brazil, Neymar, Rantie and McCarthy

Saviour of the universe? Bafana boss Gordon Igesund

I’ve just spoken to Gordon Igesund, the man with the toughest job in football. Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool and Johan Neeskens of Mamelodi Sundowns may dispute that right now. They’d be wrong.

Back in 1980, Freddy Mercury and his popular music quartet Queen sang: “Flash Gordon. Aha. Saviour of the Universe.” For South Africa’s own Gordon, saving the planet would appear to be a doddle compared to taking on five-times global conquerors Brazil on Friday night.

Just last Friday, after Igesund named his first squad to play Brazil and Mocambique, I was thinking seriously of fronting a television show about the 56-year-old’s heroic deeds with Queen’s Flash Gordon as the signature tune.

But a weekend, as every international coach knows, can be a long time in football. On Saturday, Steven Pienaar – Igesund’s iconic captain from Westbury – was declared crocked by a “thigh muscle strain” despite playing the full 90 minutes in Everton’s disappointing defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

Rather than turning to Orlando Pirates sought-after dynamo Andile Jali or Sundowns play-maker Teko Modisane, Igesund chose to call up the impressive SuperSport United midfielder George Maluleka. Controversial but understandable given the form of the Buccaneers and Brazilians of late.

Saturday also saw the withdrawal of Belgian-based Anele Ngcongca, who injured knee ligaments while playing for Genk. The club say he will be out for “at least two months”. That may open the way for 18-year-old Peterborough defender Kgosi Nthle to make an unexpected debut in Sao Paolo. Igesund’s only ever seen him play on video but as been assured by Posh boss Darren Ferguson – one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s twin sons: “He will never let you down.”

But it’s up front where Gordon’s universe is beset by falling stars. First, he told us in his squad-naming announcement last Thursday how he had picked former Orlando Pirates loan ranger Tokelo Rantie in his original squad of 23.

But then he explained how, on both the player and his new club Malmo’s advice, he had opted to scratch Rantie’s name off the list as he was “only 60 per cent fit”. Then what happens? Rantie scores for Malmo – his fifth goal in four games - in a 1-1 draw with Mjallby and played for 78 minutes before being subbed.

And back in South Africa, Igesund’s “old reliable” Siyabonga Nomvethe – PSL top scorer for Gordon’s Birds last season - suffered scan-confirmed “torn ligaments in his big toe” during a remarkable 3-0 win for Moroka Swallows at Orlando Pirates in the oldest Soweto derby.

Igesund immediately called up Sundowns striker Jabu “Edward” Manqele, the Brazilians’ R7m transfer window signing from Free State Stars. But he too was withdrawn, after pulling a hamstring in Sundowns shock defeat 2-1 against Martizburg United amid the riot police at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.

Then, and only then, Gordon turned to big, bad Benni McCarthy, last season’s PSL title-winning hero for Orlando Pirates who was controversially sent off amid further crowd trouble in the MTN8 semi-final defeat at the Orlando Stadium a week ago.

When Gordon rang yesterday morning, at the airport on the way to his date with destiny in Sao Paolo on Friday (Live from Estadio Morumbi on SABC1, 8.45pm), the weight of saving the universe with a patched up platoon hung heavy on his shoulders.

“Look Neal, you can’t say I’m upset about Rantie playing for Malmo. I spoke to the club and the player. They both said he was not fit. Rantie said he was sore because he hadn’t been through proper pre-season training.

“He said he was 60 percent fit and he didn’t want to play for Bafana when he was less than 100 percent. Rantie said he might only get one or two chances for the national team and he wanted to impress right from his first game with me.

“Then Malmo called and thanked me for leaving him out. They said it was the right decision. What can I do? I have to take their word.

“Then came the news that Stevie Pienaar and Siya Nomvethe were out. You can imagine. What a blow. My Premier League captain and Nomvethe, such a good, experienced Zulu lad.

“But look, you know Benni McCarthy. He can still do the job. And I’ve still got Bernard Parker, who scored four for Kaizer Chiefs the other day and Dino Ndlovu who scored his third goal of the season in Israel over the weekend.”

Igesund can also point to the two goals scored by Thulani Serero for Ajax Amsterdam yesterday – though he was sent off 53 minutes in to the 2-2 draw against Herenveen for a “crude challenge” on Filip Duricic.

Gordon continued: “You have to turn these negatives in to positives. I still have good players, we are still on track. I can look at some of the young players like Serero and Nthle, check them out.

“And you’ve seen this squad. It’s well-balanced, the mood is good, we are still positive. Now we just have to play Brazil with Neymar and all their stars on their biggest public holiday of the year.

“I know how hard it will be, but this is a new era for Bafana. But we aren’t going to worry about Neymar. We won’t go out there feeling inferior to Brazil, even though we know good they are and the crowd will be noisy.

“You know me, I won’t go out not to lose. I’ll play positive football with wide players. And we’ll make our country proud.”

From Pienaar's armband to Madigage's hat: Gordon Igesund's masterplan to restore South Africa's pride

He's the boss: Gordon Igesund and I in Sandton this morning

FROM Steven Pienaar’s armband to Thomas Madigage’s hat, Gordon Igesund laid bare his Bafana Bafana master plan yesterday.

And there is every suggestion central defender Morgan Gould, who moved from SuperSport United to Kaizer Chiefs at the end of last season, could Gordon’s guiding light.

In a series of conversations before, during and after The New Age’s Business Briefing at the Sandton Convention Centre, the 58-year-old revealed how he plans to raise South Africa’s national football team from the depths of despair to the heights where they belong.

Igesund, a winner of four PSL titles with a record four different clubs, got the nod as Bafana coach ahead of Steve Komphela less than a fraught fortnight ago.

But the man who should have been appointed national boss ahead of Trott Moloto 10 years ago has his plans in place. Quiet excitement and huge enthusiasm underpin his every sentence.

The central plank in the Igesund philosophy will be communication as the once-prolific striker attempts to make every PSL coach in the country feel like stakeholders in Bafana’s brave new future.

Giving me the steely-eyed stare which scares middle-aged journalists as effectively as it will under-performing footballers, Igesund growls: “In 10 years, I have never been contacted by a Bafana manager. The last one to actually call me and ask about my players was Stuart Baxter, when I was in charge at Ajax in Cape Town.

“As an example, when Pitso Mosimane called up Siyabonga Nomvethe for the Ethiopia game, nobody called me. I could have told them Siya is a quiet, Zulu lad, he does whatever you ask him but he doesn’t like being the centre of attention at Moroka Swallows. I could have told them not to play him on the right up front, he’s a central strike, a goal-sniffer. He was the PSL’s top scorer last season for God’s sake.

“Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to visit every Premier League club in South Africa. I will discuss their feelings about national call-ups, their views on the players they deal with day-in, day-out.

“In the end, I want them to feel they are part of the Bafana project. They can call me any time, they get to participate in the national team.”

As Igesund was daubed in make-up before his appearance in front of 120 amateur and professional football exports live on SABC2, he showed a surprisingly bashful side, bouncing ideas for his speech off me.

“Neal, do you think they’ll laugh at this? I’ve got Brazil in my first game on September 7. Still… at least it’s not Ethiopia! Or Botswana! Is that too much?

“How do you say Maracana? Let me write that down. What’s the capacity there now? Have they rebuilt the stadium – it’s in Rio de Janeiro isn’t it?

“And I’ll have four days to prepare for my first game. Against Brazil. Sheez. And two of those days will be spent travelling. I guess I’ll have to get around to all the clubs before that to give the players an idea of what I expect from them.

“If everyone gets  behind us, we can to this. We fulfil the two objectives I’ve been set: to reach the semi-finals of AFCON13 here in February – and then to qualify for Brazil 2014. We can top the group, then we have to take our chances in the play-off.

“My job is to help players remember what they are. Footballers. Forget all the other stuff. And I don’t for a moment think Bafana players lack passion. When you pull on that national jersey, how can you not want to do your best?”
While SAFA CEO Robin Petersen outlined a further objective – a rise from 15^th to “consistently top 3” in Africa and a place in the world’s top 20, Igesund shows no fear. He may shy away from the public speaking (“I’d much rather be out on the training pitch”) but he insists: “Look, in 2009 we took that great Spain team with all their stars to 2-2 in the Confederations Cup. We were only beaten in extra-time. Those players haven’t disappeared. They haven’t become bad players overnight.

“I will instill a new confidence in my squad. They’re tired of being told they’re rubbish. They aren’t. We will play attacking football, use wide players… with African flair… and it’s a style we must stick with for 20 years, long after I’m gone.

“South Africa has players who can do more with the ball than so many other countries. We need to build on that. And we will, believe me.”

In the complex area of leadership, changes are also afoot. SuperSport United No2 Thomas Madigage has been wrenched away from Gavin Hunt and Igesund grins: “Gavin’s an old friend. He knew I would come after Thomas. He’s the most successful assistant coach in the country, he’s used to working with winners.

“The day I got the job I told three people I wanted Madigage. And we got him. Nobody knew. They were all talking about my supposed technical team, Fani Madida, Doc Khumalo, but I knew who I wanted.

“And I’ve told Thomas, he has to ditch the hat. I know it’s his lucky hat, but I’ve made it clear, Bafana is inclusive, we represent all religions, not just the ZCC. I love the hat, I love the Zionists… but Thomas and I have agreed: No hat on the bench for international games.

“I’ve also put together a panel of advisors – Clive Barker, Shakes Mashaba and Jomo Sono – great men who I have so much respect for. When difficult decisions need to be taken, I’ll be able to turn to them. And Lucas Radebe? I know he’s interested in getting back into football, he’s spoken to Robin – but we’ll have to see what happens there.

“On the field we have so many leaders in this country. Steve Pienaar was made captain, but I have to sit him down and ask him if he wants the captaincy. Perhaps he’s one of those lads who doesn’t need the captain’s armband to know he’s the best player in the side.

“I’ve got Morgan Gould, who’s just moved to Kaizer Chiefs, and Siya Sangweni at Orlando Pirates. They are leaders too. Morgan is just one of those pillars, it’s natural for people to follow him.

“But nothing is decided on the captaincy yet. I know people will talk. They will say things. There is a long time to go before Brazil in September. I know what I want. I know, with everybody’s backing, we can do this.

“If I thought guiding Bafana to their rightful place in world football was an impossible task, I would never have taken the job.”

Given what happened at Dobsonville last season – Igesund lifted Swallows from relegation fodder to title contenders in barely a year – no mission appears to be impossible. South Africa’s footballing future is in safe hands.

And as he left the building yesterday, a final word: “I know exactly what I’ve taken on here. And I’m ready for it.”