Proof that should cheer all Bafana Bafana fans: why Ethiopia WILL lose three points in CAF World Cup qualifying Group A.

Booked up: Minyahile Teshome Beyene's yellow cards
(with thanks to Joe Crann/Laduma)

THERE’S no getting around the fact South Africa’s highly-paid footballers were beaten 2-1 by Ethiopia’s highly-enthusiastic semi-professionals in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

It’s not as if Bafana Bafana were outplayed. Bernard Parker’s exquisite opener was cancelled out by the Lions just before half-time but for most of the second period it was Gordon Igesund’s men who looked the more likely to take the three points necessary to (hopefully) qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next year.

But then came that unbelievable own goal from Parker – videos of his headed effort from 18 yards past Kaizer Chiefs’ club-mate Itumeleng Khune have flashed around the world – and as Igesund told me after the game: “You simply can’t legislate for that kind of thing, you know.”

But now we have a development. Shortly after the game, I found this statement on the official FIFA website while having a look at the miserable Group A table: “FIFA can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against three member associations for each having allegedly fielded an ineligible player in the preliminary competition for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil."

Togo and Guinea were mentioned, but this is the sentence that drew my eye: “The Ethiopian Football Association allegedly fielded an ineligible player in the match between Botswana and Ethiopia on 8 June 2013."

And then we were off. A quick check of Ethiopia’s team in their opening matches revealed that Minyahile Teshome Beyene is the man in question. And here's why.

He was booked in Ethiopia’s first game against South Africa in June2012 and in their third, against Botswana at home in March; the little yellow cards appear clear as a bell next to his name. As in any group qualifying format under FIFA rules, Beyene should have been suspended for his nation’s next game, the vital away win in Botswana.

But he wasn’t. Somebody made a boo-boo. Perhaps, with AFCON between the two cautions, the first card had been forgotten. As I thrashed twitter with this information, a fuming Igesund – with his head on the block in Addis Ababa - sent me a link to the original FIFA story.

I immediately informed him of my findings. Open and shut case. Under under FIFA Disciplinary Code 55, sanction for fielding an "ineligible" or banned player is 3pts deduction and a €6000 fine. Suddenly, the door to Brazil had been re-opened. Just a touch.

On the telephone after frantic SMSes, Gordon said: "If we'd known about this BEFORE the game I would have played for the draw! I went out trying to win, we played a very open style. I don’t believe this!”

Igesund, still raging after a game which saw a frequent flow of nasty challenges, added: "Dean Furman was spat at, right in the face and their number five was BOOKED TWICE and not sent off!

“And what about that unbelievable own goal? Look, I’ve got to congratulate Ethiopia for the win. Only now we might still have some hope, better to have a slight chance than none at all when we play Botswana in our last game."

If Ethiopia ARE deducted three points (and the usual 3-0 defeat), it means Bafana must beat Botswana in their final game at home and hope Ethiopia draw in the Central African Republic (or at a neutral venue given the troubles in Bangui), both games due to be played on September 6. Goal difference will put South Africa through in that situation.

Then there are the play-offs, five of them, pitting groups winners against group winners, a peculiar torture unique to Africa. Teams like Algeria, the Ivory Coast, Egypt and Tunisia will go in to the hat along with (probably) Libya, Nigeria, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Ghana. But a glimmer of hope, as Gordon said, is better than none.

Kirsten Nematandani, the SAFA president, yesterday confirmed he would “wait patiently” for the results of the FIFA investigation. And he insisted: “We had nothing to do with the naming of this player.”

The social networks have been abuzz since I broke this story on Sunday night with Gordon’s quotes – as I write, over 5,000 have “hit” the story on my blog (http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/world-cup-heartbreak-bafana-bafana.html but a warning: also contains video of THAT Parker own goal). Many suggest Ethiopia are full value to go to Brazil next year, that they don’t deserve Bafana to sneak past on a technicality.

I’m not one of them. Ethiopia used every trick in the book on Sunday. As Dean Furman and Itumeleng Khune. If – and it’s still a sizeable if – Bafana end up on top of Group A on September 6, I will weep no tears for the Ethiopians. This is about attitude, not altitude.

World Cup heartbreak: Bafana Bafana beaten by the greatest headed own goal you are ever likely to witness

Somewhere amid the wreckage of South Africa’s failed World Cup campaign, we must pick up the pieces and assess the real value of Ethiopia’s quite unbelievable 2-1 win over brave Bafana Bafana on Sunday.


NOTE: Breaking News of Ethiopia possible points deduction at the foot of this story.

It was never about altitude. It was about attitude. And Gordon Igesund’s men had that in spades in lofty Addis Ababa. The opening goal from Bernard Parker gave the nation hope, the real prospect of a THIRD weekend success after highly-fortunate results for both our cricketers in Cardiff and our rugby team in Mbombela.

Then came the Ethiopia equaliser minutes before half-time. Hearts in mouths time. Anything less than a win wasn’t going to be enough for South Africa, with Botswana at home to come while the Ethiopians would be left to beat bottom-of-the-group Central African Republic.

Yes for fully 20 minutes, Bafana outplayed the home side, despite a raucous gathering of 25,000 inside the stadium and 10,000 outside. The winner looked like it would come at any moment.

Tokela Rantie, the Malmo striker curiously ejected by Orlando Pirates, very nearly scored with his first series of touches when he came on as a substitute. The Ethiopians, hacking down any South African on the run, were giving away copious free-kicks in dangerous positions.

The Ethiopians, workmanlike at best in their enthusiasm to qualify for a first every World Cup, were just not threatening. Until one of the most bizarre moments you are every likely to see in football. The cross comes in. Parker rises to clear. But the ball pinged off his head at pace from fully 18 yards to nestle in the corner of his Kaizer Chiefs club-mate Itumeleng Khune’s net.

There are own goal and there are own goals. I, personally, have scored several in my low level career. Seen plenty at all levels. But never quite one as devastatingly accurate as Parker’s mis-cued header.

Few sides would recover from such a blow. The ghost of unpaid sangomas immediately appeared over Igesund’s brave effort to overcome that chaotic start  to Group A, with Pitso Mosimane failing to beat Ethiopia at home before caretaker Steve Komphela’s draw against Botswana in Gaborone.

For all the huff and puff at the end, looking for an equaliser which would have only made elimination more painful, there was never going to be a miracle in the chaotic final 15, with Ethiopians queueing up for the time-wasting stretcher and ball-boys throwing the ball the wrong way.

And so it was done. Gordon was there at the end, saying things like “We did all we could, I can’t fault the players for their effort” with Khune, the man who has raised time-wasting to an art form, complaining about… erm time-wasting.

Afterwards we had Dean Furman, who has single-handedly revived the art of the slide tackle, telling the nation how sorry he was on twitter. And also pointing out that the one of the Ethiopians had spat in his face.

It was not a great end to Father’s Day, Soweto Day, Youth Day… whatever you want to call it. And there were the predictable calls for heads to roll. Personally I think Gordon Igesund deserves more time to finish what he started.

The improvement in Bafana’s form is hard to ignore. Sunday’s bizarre defeat came at the end of an eight-match unbeaten run in competition for Igesund. There were real positives, a good spirit in the camp.

But nothing can persuade a broken-hearted nation that our footballers fell short only because they lacked the luck on show when the Proteas sneaked a tie with the West Indies to progress in the ICC Champions Trophy or the Springboks benefited from a yellow card and a penalty try against Scotland the brave on the lowveld on Saturday.

Now we must look at what Ethiopia have to do to actually make it to Brazil and the World Cup next year. Côte d'Ivoire – with their Toure brothers and vast array of European stars - and seven-time AFCON winners Egypt are already through.

The Ivorians came back from behind to beat Tanzania 4-2 with Manchester City’s African Player of the Year scoring twice to leave Morocco short despite a 2-0 win over Gambia.

Ghana, another of the African heavyweights, will probably join them in the last ten after their 2-0 win over Lesotho in Maseru thanks to goals from Christian Atsu and captain Asamoah Gyan. They need a draw with 2012 AFCON champions Zambia to get through.

North African giants Tunisia and Algeria are also in the shake-up, with Gabon, the Congo and Burkina Faso making Group E impossible to call. Where does this leave Ethiopia, the world’s 105^th ranked side, in the shake-up?

Well, struggling to be honest. Depending how the draw works out, we’re looking at CAF succeeding as planned. The people Danny Jordaan describes as “the Arab powerhouses” look nailed on for Brazil. Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia…along with the Ivory Coast and Libya, who look like they’re going to oust Cameroon in Group I. And then we have the Ivory Coast and reigning AFCON champions Nigeria, who should see off Malawi in Group F.

It’s not a good time for Southern African teams… or English-speaking African nations. Issa Hayatou will shed no tears for us.


But there may still be hope: this just dropped on FIFA.COM:

FIFA can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against three member associations for each having allegedly fielded an ineligible player in the preliminary competition for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

The Ethiopian Football Association allegedly fielded an ineligible player in the match between Botswana and Ethiopia on 8 June 2013.

Link to full story here: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=2110660/index.html

Player concerned is Minyahile Teshome Beyene, booked in first game against South Africa and against Botswana at home. He should have been suspended for win in Botswana. Gordon Igesund sent me a link to the story above last night after I'd posted this. He said: "If we'd known about this BEFORE the game I would have played for the draw! I went out trying to win, we played a veryopen style.

"Dean Furman was spat at, right in the face and their number five was BOOKED TWICE! Unbelievable own goal did for us. But hey, better to have a slight chance than none at all when we play Botswana in our last game."


Under under FIFA Disciplinary Code 55, sanction for fielding "ineligible" or banned player is 3pts deduction & €6000 fine.

If Ethiopia are deducted three points, it means Bafana must beat Botswana in their final game and hope Ethiopia draw in the Central African Republic. Then there are the play-offs. But a glimmer of hope, as Gordon said, is better than none.

If Ethiopia ARE deducted three points, it means Bafana must beat Botswana in their final game at home and hope Ethiopia draw in the Central African Republic (or at a neutral venue given the troubles in Bangui), both games due to be played on September 6.

Then there are the play-offs, five of them, pitting groups winners against group winners, a peculiar torture unique to Africa. But a glimmer of hope, as Gordon said, is better than none.

Kirsten Nematandani, the SAFA president, yesterday confirmed he would “wait patiently” for the results of the FIFA investigation. And he insisted: “We had nothing to do with the naming of this player.”

We wait. And hope.

Discarded by Kaizer Chiefs, Jimmy Tau tells Robert Marawa: I'm hurt but not bitter. But why did Bobby Motaung ditch him?

Hurt, not bitter: Jimmy Tau fought back from an
horrific ankle injury only to be ditched by Kaizer
Chiefs after eight years at the club

JIMMY TAU has finally broken his silence on Kaizer Chiefs’ shocking decision to ditch their former captain.

In a moving interview on Robert Marawa’s Metro FM radio show, the 32-year-old footballing diamond from Kimberley gave us an intriguing insight into the backroom politics at South Africa’s biggest club.

Tau, articulate but emotional, said he was “hurt but not bitter” about the AmaKhosi’s decision to let him go. He explained in detail how he had attended extra training sessions and worked in the gym with physiotherapists to make a “full recovery” from the horrific ankle injury he suffered in the final game of 2012 against AmaZulu.

The man whose surname means "lion" explained: “I worked very hard, I played for the reserves towards the end of the season. The second last league game, against SuperSport, I was writing an exam but the last game, against AmaTuks, I was on the bench, I joined the camp on the Friday.

“I was ready to play. The coach supported me. The only reason I didn’t get back in to the side was because they were doing so well, winning the PSL for the first time in eight years and then taking the Nedbank Cup.

“But the coach saw it all. He saw how hard I worked. Stuart Baxter told me he wanted me to stay. He said he had recommended a new contract for me. I thought I had another season. But they called me in on a Thursday, my agent and Bobby Motaung, the football manager.

“Bobby told me I wasn’t in the coach’s plans. That there was no place for me at the club.  I have to respect that decision but I must say I was hurt. Not bitter, but hurt.

“I couldn’t understand it. The coach had left on holiday a week before. And Bobby told me I wasn’t in his plans. It was very confusing.”

Marawa asked Jimmy if he had any proof of Baxter recommending a new contract. There is none. Tau was reluctant to criticize the club, he repeated the word “respect” several times: “I must respect their decision. They gave me a great opportunity. They allowed me to complete my studies. I will always be grateful to Kaizer Chiefs.

“No South African footballer has become a major businessman since Kaizer Motaung and Jomo Cosmos in the 1970s. That was my challenge. Not to be an assistant coach or something like that. It’s in God’s hands. What has happened is an opportunity for me.

“I know I will get through everything - not because I am tough but because it’s God’s will. This is a lesson to young footballers living in the comfort zone. You cannot rely on the longevity of a professional football career.

“What they have done to my career – not my life – hurt me. But I will survive it. This is a new chance for me. Bobby said the coach didn’t want me, but I have said there are non-football reasons involved.

“Is there another club that wants me for next season? I don’t know about that! Let’s see what God decides!”

Marawa asked the question I was begging for on twitter: Did Bobby Motaung, currently on bail for corruption charges after his dealings in Mbombela, feel threatened by a popular leader who left arch-rivals Orlando Pirates to join the Amakhosi in 2005? A man who played 170 games for the club and eight for his nation?

Jimmy shrugged. He said: “I have given this club respect. I have given Chiefs everything. I played there for eight years. I was captain for three years (before Vladimir Vermezovic’s harsh decision to remove the armband in 2011), I captained in four cup finals, we won three of them.”

Marawa’s probing continued. At the end of the interview he asked: “Jimmy, I wanted to ask you about the Chiefs celebrations. The pictures. Was there one person who was left out, isolated? You’re smiling, you agree with me.”

With that, twitter exploded. Everyone wanted to know who Marawa meant. They wanted to know if Baxter really DID want Tau to stay… and whether “Bobsteak” really was threatened. Many suggested Jimmy was “seeing” Bobby’s sister Jessica, the club’s elegant and effective commercial manager.

It’s hard to respond to those questions in 140 characters on twitter. But I think the answers are obvious. Of course Bobby Motaung WAS threatened by Jimmy Tau, a man I have long tipped for a political future in a nation crying out for charismatic leadership. Crikey, I’d have the man as president tomorrow and so would the estimated 15 million AmaKhosi, I’m sure.

And then there’s Bobby. I spoke to the Hawks captain in charge of the investigation in to the Kaizer Chiefs Football Manager three months ago. Motaung stands accused of corruption during the building of the magnificent giraffe-supported Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga before the World Cup.

Further trouble erupted when Chiefs played home games at the stadium, which struggles to find lucrative post-World Cup matches given the city of Mpumalanga has no professional football club. The speaker of the local council was shot dead after revealing details of alleged corruption.

When I got hold of the Hawks captain I said “you probably can’t say much about the case” but he snapped back: “You think I’d arrest Bobby twice without good evidence? We have a water-tight case against him. He is going to jail.”

I have heard nothing since. It's a year since the first court appearance. Nobody wants to talk. But I do know this. Bobby is in a difficult position, though he has never been suspended over the allegations. Mbombela municipal speaker Jimmy Mohlala is dead. The corruption hasn’t gone away. Neither have the questions.

But there has been no explanation from Chiefs about Bobby, the tough guy who once sneered: “I didn’t need a CV to get this job, this is a family business.”

When a charismatic bloke like Jimmy Tau comes along and gets on well with Jessica and Kaizer Junior – both of whom enjoyed a vastly superior education to older sibling Bobby – he is automatically a threat given the circumstances, not to mention the advancing age of the legendary Kaizer, the club's founder.

My theory is this - and it’s backed by what was said on Robert’s show tonight: Jimmy Tau WAS recommended for a new contract by Stuart Baxter. But once Baxter had gone on holiday Bobby was able to wield the axe for “non-footballing reasons” as he remains a fearsome presence within the club, the man who decides on contracts and transfers.

The last thing Bobby wanted was a heroic player approaching retirement at Naturena. Jimmy himself said: “I did not want to leave the club at the end of my playing career. I was hoping for a role after I finished.”

And what role would that have been? Jimmy would make a perfect Football Manager, interacting with the modern business plans put in place by the popular Jessica. Tau talks well, thinks ahead, has a good relationship with Kaizer Junior, who will also take a backroom role soon. 

And where would that have left Bobby Motaung? Sure, he’ll deny. He’ll threaten. He’ll blame Baxter. We’ll have a look at the double celebrations. Try to find Marawa's mysterious "isolated one".

Some will say Bobby is the man, untouchable. Others feel sympathy for Jimmy. I know where I stand. The only other answer is that Baxter or Tau are lying. I choose not to believe that. But hey, it’s only a theory.

THE WORLD CUP DREAM IS ON: As predicted, Gordon Igesund's Bafana leave rusty CAR with three punctures. And he found time to call me afterwards!

THREEDOM: Gordon Igesund

GORDON IGESUND. Bafana Bafana. We salute you. A 3-0 win over the Central African Republic keeps our World Cup hopes alive on the day Nelson Mandela, the father of the nation, finds himself back at death’s door.

Gordon knows that. Right after the huge Group A qualifying win in Yaounde he said: “How can we talk about football when Nelson Mandela is in hospital? We have to wish him well first.”

The man has all the bases covered. He called me  at 6.54pm to say: "Mate, they f***ed us about this week. We were tired. But we did it. NOW FOR ETHIOPIA! I loved the Rambo stuff. The boys have been so good here. Put up with everything they threw at us."

When I told him the SABC were unable to air the first 40 minutes, Gordon was shocked: "What? No man! We started so well! But I need to thank everyone for their support, it's been brilliant. I loved the Rambo picture in the Star!"

Before the game, after the expected problems with travel and training facilities in “neutral” Cameroon, he promised: “We have turned the negatives in to positives. I am confident. We will play an attacking game.”

And he did. Despite “technical problems caused by rain” which meant viewers missed most of the first half, Bafana were live and dangerous for the full 90 minutes.

Kaizer Chiefs striker Bernard Parker opened the scoring after 26 minutes, poking the ball under the advancing goalkeeper and blasting home with his left foot to make it 1-0.

Just before half-time, another of the AmaKhosi double-winners, Siphiwe Tshabalala played a nice one-two with Tokelo Rantie to surge through the “Centrafrique” defence and make it 2-0 to “Afrique du Sud”.

A quieter second-half was capped by a brilliant third – Orlando Pirates play-maker Oupa Manyisa et the full-back and stood up an inch-perfect cross for Moroka Swallows’ PSL top-scorer Katlego Mashego to nod home. Boom. The 3-0 scoreline I predicted on eNCAnews on Friday night was complete.

At half-time, I sent Gordon an SMS suggesting: “Just stop at 3-0, let’s save a few for Ethiopia next week.”

Afterwards, Rambo Igesund grinned: “I was very happy with our game plan. We went for a very offensive team.  I told you we would.

“We trained once in the week really, so it was a great achievement when you think about it. I was a little bit disappointed because we sat back in the second-half a bit.

“We looked a little scared, but I was telling them we could have got four or five really.

“Look, we haven’t spoken about it much but it was a very tough preparation for us. All the travelling problems and stuff. A very tough week it’s been, but we got through. We got the job done.”

With Botswana narrowly failing to take points off table-toppers Ethiopia in Gaborone earlier, Bafana MUST now win in Addis Ababa, a town around a kilometre higher (7,546 feet) than Johannesburg (5,793 feet) in terms of altitude.

The final game against Botswana at home should be a doddle, but Ethiopia finish with CAR, who looked broken down and rusty yesterday. A draw in Addis Ababa will NOT be enough given Ethiopia's two-point lead in the group.

In World Cup qualifying, unlike AFCON, goal difference counts first, then head-to-head. But that might only help if Ethiopia end with a draw. As Gordon says: “We’ve got massive four games now to get to the World Cup.”

While fasionable nations in CONCACAF, Oceania and Europe cruise to perpetual World Cup qualification, South Africa have a two-legged play-off against ANOTHER group winner to survive even if they do finish top of CAF Group A. That can’t be right. Or fair.

But on current form, who’s betting against Rambo being on target for Brazil 2014?

FOR the prediction: see last paragraph of this http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/rambo-igesund-turns-negatives-in-to.html and follow @nealcol on twitter!

BAFANA: Khune; Ngcongca, Mathoho, Nthethe, Nunes; Mahlangu (Ntshumayelo 80), Furman, Letsholonyane, Tshabalala; Parker (Mashego 63) Rantie (Manyisa 57).

Rambo Igesund turns negatives in to positives. There'll be no World Cup CAR crash in Cameroon.

GOOD GORD! Igesund as Rambo from the Star back page today

GORDON IGESUND told the assembled journalists in Yaounde yesterday: “The facilities have been good. Training has been great. We have no complaints.”

A few hours afterwards he laughs: “Not quite true of course. But that’s what I want the Central African Republic to hear!”

It’s typical Gordon. South African football’s head coach is a tough bloke, right back to his days as a no-nonsense striker in Durban in the 1980s, where defenders feared to tread on his toes. Bulletproof like Rambo, as the Johannesburg Star illustrated today on their back page.

Day one of Bafana Bafana’s trip to Cameroon – allegedly neutral territory but in truth the lad of Issa Hayatou and his Francophone football clique at CAF – started badly and got steadily worse.

On Wednesday afternoon at Douale, the commercial capital, South Africa’s 34-strong travelling party for the crucial World Cup African Group A qualifier were told their flight to Yaounde, the legislative capital, had been cancelled. Something about tyres on the aeroplane.

Pitch battle: The stony training ground in Yaounde,
from Robert Marawa's facebook page today

With no relief in sight, Gordon ordered a bus. They made the five-hour trip through Cameroon by road, with one member of the party revealing: “It was a real eye-opener.”

Arriving late with one training session already abandoned, Igesund’s men then found the training ground they’d booked in preparation was “unavailable”. Another delay while a new ground was sought. It turned out to be the facility pictured on the right.

Igesund laughs: “It was unbelievable. Rocks everywhere, holes, even the goalposts were a mess. So we found a corner with a bit of grass and did some warming-up excercises. I didn’t want to risk injury.

“I was angry, of course I was. The whole thing was a disgrace. I’d love to know the full story behind the cancelled flight. But I had warned the players to expect this sort of thing. They’re not fond of us in these parts.

“I told the players afterwards, on Thursday night, they can throw as many obstacles in our way as they like, it only makes us stronger. And to be fair NOT ONE of my players made a single complaint, you know? They were good as gold.

“Today (Friday), we finally got to train at the stadium itself. It’s not bad. It’s a big pitch, plenty of grass on it. There are a couple of bumpy patches but really, in African terms, it’s like Wembley.

“Tokelo Rantie (who arrived from Malmo in Sweden after last week’s 2-0 friendly win over Lesotho on the astroturf at Maseru) looks sharp. I’m even considering playing three up front!

“Yeye and Shabba (from double-winning Kaizer Chiefs) are looking good, the team is shaping up. The centre-back pairing (Tower Mathoho and Thabo Nthethe) are looking solid and I’m very, very confident. I want to pick up from our home game, where we beat CAF 2-0.

“If we can do that again, we’ll be well on our way. And then we’ve got Ethiopia in Addis Ababa next weekend. Win that one and we just need to beat Botswana in our final game to top the group.

“And don’t forget, Ethiopia have got Botswana tomorrow – our neighbours drew 1-1 with Egypt last week, they could do us a favour, couldn’t they?

“Look, we know it will be a tough, tough game. They’re a physical side (the latest FIFA rankings show CAR at 59, South Africa at 60) but so were Lesotho (155) and if we can keep the ball, use our talented players, I’m confident.

“I can promise you we won’t be under-estimating them.

“But I have a very good side, despite the injuries. We have a good squad, Itumeleng Khune is a great goalkeeper, we will take these problems we’ve had and use them. We’ve turned the negatives in to positives.

“We know the nation is watching. Thank you for for your support Neal. I hope your 3-0 prediction (made live on South Africa's eNCAnews tonight at 7.45pm) doesn’t cost you your hair again!”

With thanks to Gordon and Robert Marawa on Metro tonight.

South Africa's greatest footballer Benni McCarthy retires at 35: the full statement here, updating as we go

Winner: Benni McCarthy won the Champions League with Porto

BENNI McCARTHY, South Africa’s greatest modern footballer, has retired. The 35-year-old released this statement through his agency last night. Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza says he knows nothing about the news so this story may yet have some legs.

We can debate the controversies and the torrid final season all we want, but the fact is, the man from humble roots in Hanover Park, Cape Town, went on to play in Holland, Portugal (where he won the Champions League with Jose Mourinho), Spain and England (where he was Blackburn Rovers' top scorer, second only to Chelsea's Didier Drogba). He won the League Championships with Ajax, Porto and Pirates, the only South African to win titles in three countries. His $8m move to Spain's Celta Vigo in 1999 remains the nation's highest fee.

Final fling: Benni at Pirates

His return to South Africa late in his career was widely lampooned after he was fined for weight gain during a disastrous spell at West Ham, but his goals propelled the Buccaneers to a second-successive treble.

He was there when it mattered, using those years of experience to pop home the vital goals and he took the Soweto derby by storm with a brace. On the last day of the 2011-2012 season, it was Benni who scored the two goals which put paid to Golden Arrows and clinched the title for caretaker coach Augusto Palacios.

I wrote this after the derby for The New Age, accepting McCarthy still offered great value for a reputed R6m annual wage which made him the highest-paid player in the country: http://www.thenewage.co.za/mobi/Detail.aspx?NewsID=2142&Mid=186&CatID=. Benni's absence this season - due to injury and age - was the principle reason behind the double-winning success of arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs. A couple of incidents of goal-poaching from Big Benni might well have made 2012-2013 a very different story.

And now he's gone. There is disbelief from Pirates fans today, and Dr Khoza himself seems mystified amid reports of McCarthy being prepared to play for another season following a tweet from his agent Rob Moore saying just that on May 28.

On the http://www.carlingblacklabel.co.za/bethecoach/players/2 website, where fans vote to decide which player should represent their team in the pre-season friendly between Orlando Pirates and Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs, Benni has a team leading 224,999 votes from a hopeful Ghost. But popular demand will count for nothing if King Benni has abdicated.

Here are the words from McCarthy himself at the end of a career which sees him hang up his boots as South Africa’s only Champions League winner and Bafana’s top goal scorer:

“I have been so blessed to have enjoyed a remarkable career that took me from the township fields of Nyanga Stadium, to winner’s medals in the Uefa Champions League and World Club Cup - the highest levels that a player can achieve in club football.

“I retire having represented my country at senior level 80 times and scored a record 31 goals. Two Soccer World Cup finals, in France and Korea/Japan, an Olympic Games and a u-20 World Cup Finals will be memories that live in my heart forever.

“And to have come home to South Africa for a final chapter, and to have won the treble with Orlando Pirates, was the type of finale that only dreams are made of.

“It has been a 17-year professional career that surpassed even my own expectations and I’ve been privileged to have played under many great Coaches, including the very best, Jose Mourinho.

“Football has been good to me – it has provided special moments and in the process, has enabled me to have been in a position to have improved the lives of my family members. For that, I am most grateful.

“I’d like to thank so many people for making so many aspects of this journey possible. My family has always been a tremendous support, especially my mom, Dora, and my late father, Dudley. I trust that I have made them proud in some small way.

“Sponsors, like Nike, who have been there for me for the past 15 years and I appreciate that. And finally, my mentor and business manager, Rob Moore, who has walked along this road with me since I joined him in 1995 as a 17-year-old.

“Football is my life. I have played the game and I love the game…….it’s in my blood. For the next chapter, I’d like to concentrate on getting my Coaching Badges and at the same time, be part of a club where I can get practical experience. I’d also like to do some television work because I enjoy that aspect of the game as well.”

I'll be updating this story through the day - and you can follow the live situation on my twitter timeline at www.twitter.com/nealcol.

Orlando Pirate Tlou Segolela scored THIS wonder goal in 2011 (video) but he still can't go to the UK

TLOU "SOX" SEGOLELA is the man of the moment. The all-conquering two-goal Bafana hero against Lesotho on Sunday, despite the wind, the mountains and the plastic pitch. And then we have the "Maradona" goal from "South Africa's Usain Bolt" against Free State Stars in 2011 - plus a few othes featured in the videos I've posted above and below.

Used mostly as an "impact" substitute by Orlando Pirates coaches since his move to the Buccaneers in 2007 (he also went on loan to Bloemfontein Celtic in 2009) there was talk earlier this month of a move to Soweto rivals with some debate over the two-year contract he signed last year NOT being extended to the end of June 2014.

But with those two goals in Maseru on Sunday - the first a tap-in, the second a lovely turn-and-fire - the high-speed "Gautrain" has suddenly become a valuable property with those live images on SuperSport and the SABC making him the man of the moment.

But there is a limit to footballing hype. I don't deny Segolela certainly deserves a water-tight deal for next season, something technical director Screamer Tshabalala and holidaying coach Roger De Sa should chat to chairman Irvin Khoza about URGENTLY.

Failing that, a move to double-winning Chiefs would certainly bolster the 25-year-old Limpopan (?) in his bid for a regular PSL starting place after playing just 45 games for Pirates in five seasons.

But his agent Tim Sukuzi is aiming perhaps a little too high after the Bafana brace. Yesterday he was on Radio 2000 insisting he had "an invitation from a big Championship club in England" in front of him.

Sukuzi, not inexperienced in player management, said: "Yes, Tlou has got options but we are only talking to overseas clubs, and I can confirm that he has been invited for trials with a Championship club in England. I can’t tell you which one."

Sukazi went as far as to dismiss the mighty AmaKhosi, adding: “He is not joining Chiefs. As I said, we are not dealing with the local clubs. I know that a few PSL clubs are interested, but we are looking to get him overseas. That is the priority.”

Within minutes of his appearance on radio, my phone was ringing red hot. No, it wasn’t Barcelona and Bayern Munich on the line wanting a ticket to the “Gautrain”, this was the insistent ring of South Africa football experts asking: “Is he serious?”

And of course, Tim, you can’t be. In order to gain work permit in the United Kingdom, professional footballers have to play 75 percent of their nation’s FIFA qualifying games over the last two years. And that team has to be in FIFA's top 70 (on average) throughout that period (preceding the date of the transfer).

That isn’t the Football Association’s restriction, it’s a device put in place by the Home Office to give local players a better chance of emerging from the bulging academies around the island. The other European nations have no such limits in place.

Segolela – who made his fifth international appearance against Lesotho - has only just returned to the Bafana fold, and had yet to feature in Gordon Igesund’s plans before this month. And Maseru was just a friendly. It doesn’t count. Without a single African Cup of Nations or World Cup chance so far, Segolela has a long way to go to reach the Home Office standard.

I'm afraid 24 months is a lifetime in football.

Sukazi insisted on Radio2000 his player could get “special dispensation” to gain a work permit but that hasn’t happened for three years. The last player to go to England without having played the stipulated 75 percent over two years (sitting on the bench doesn’t count, you have to come on) was a certain Little Pea.

Mexico’s Javier Hernandez was allowed to go to Manchester United after just five games for his nation – but he was still a teenager and starred in the World Cup in South Africa. Before that, players like Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini at Arsenal were allowed to join Arsenal academies only because they were under sixteen.

Segolela will get no special dispensation. To suggest he might is unfair to both the player and to South Africa fans.

Even players who DO fit the criteria in recent years – like Andile Jali, Teko Modise, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Itumeleng Khune – have shown far more consistent quality and failed to make it beyond trials or tabloid gossip.

The truth is, Segolela WAS impressive against Lesotho. He does deserve to have his questionable final year at Pirates confirmed – or he should be allowed to leave on a free for a rival club.

But to suggest, on the basis of two goals against the side ranked 155 in the world, that he is now destined for international stardom is simply laughable.

Segolela can make a start against the Central African Republic in Cameroon on Saturday - and a week later against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa if Igesund picks him for the do-or-die World Cup qualifiers.

But surely, the wise thing is to find him a starting role in the PSL before reaching for pie on the Sky channels?