Africa is our home too

Golden touch. . . Tout Pouissant Mazembe of DR Congo are African champions for the fifth time.

LAST weekend when most of South Africa's soccer public was obsessing over the Soweto Derby, between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in the semifinals of the domestic cup called Telkom KO, a bigger cup story in Africa unfolded without much notice in SA.

That's not unusual for SA, but this time someone powerful and influential has spoken. The chairman of both Orlando Pirates FC and SA's Premier Soccer League Irvin Khoza attended the final match in Lumbubashi last Sunday, when Mazembe beat USM Alger of Algeria 2-0 to take the title on 4-1 aggregate. The enthusiasm for the game in Congo has clearly revitalised Khoza, who this week warned South Africans to take Africa seriously.

He's right. It does not make make sense that African football champions are crowned and yet up to 80 per cent of football followers in SA do not know about such a big moment, and yet we call ourselves a soccer nation.

This blog has always preached this verse, that the fortunes of SA in international football rely on our progress on the continent. How do we succeed in Africa when we know so little, and show scant enthusiasm, for the continent we belong to?  It is is up to everybody involved in the game to change this attitude; from clubs, players, PSL and SAFA officials, the media and fans.

I asked a soccer writer why SA media made so much noise about the Chiefs-Pirates match, when very little or nothing at all was said about the biggest fixture on the continent last week. He said the Soweto Derby is what the people want. I said he is guilty of overfeeding the people the staple they think is good for them.

Congratulations are in order for The Crows, who are now $1-million (R14-million) richer. The biggest prize however for Mazembe for winning the African champion is the lucrative ticket to the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan next month. There they will bag another $1-million for finishing last in Japan, 6th; or $5-million for winning the tournament ahead of River Plate (Argentina and Conmebol), Barcelona (Spain and Uefa), America (Mexico and Concacaf), Auckland City (New Zealand and OFC) and Japanese champs still to be determined.

How come South Africans do not wish to be here?

Best wishes for Bafana Bafana in Benguela later today. World Cup qualification is crucial, even though we still struggle in the CAF Cup of Nations. Rise to the occasion boys. 

And as for others back home, please don't start with me asking where is Benguela. The madness must stop now. Read. Africa is our home and we should love it properly.

Our teams need business approach to CAF fixtures

Steely... Strong and confident approach is what Pirates need against Al Ahly 

Tonight Orlando Pirates get the grandest chance to undo all the wrong things about South African teams when out playing on the continent, more so in north and west Africa. Pirates take a narrow lead to the second leg tie of their CAF Confederation Cup semifinal against Al Ahly in Egypt. For many years, as this blog has argued, that poor preparation and small mindedness had been the downfall of SA football on the continent. Bafana Bafana fiasco in Mauritania and Pirates 4-1 hammering in Egypt by Zamalek are the most recent examples.

South African clubs' homework about teams and locations they travel to had been appalling. It had been nauseating to hear SA players and team officials talk about "shocking conditions" when arriving home from a fixture in another part of Africa.  The real shock is not the conditions, but the temerity of our teams to travel without comprehensive information about their destination, things like climate, size of playing field and socio-economic indicators, just to name a few factors.
Bafana Bafana returned from Mauritania after their 3-1 drubbing to confess that they did not know the stadium in Nouakchott had an artificial pitch. Is it rocket science to check on this things, more so that SA knew for months about their scheduled trip to Mauritania. I guess our coach and his technical did not even notice names of Senegalese origin in the Mauritanian squad...

Technical naivete is another factor letting SA teams on the continent. I guess they can easily afford to be clumsy in fixtures against other PSL teams here at home. But when you out on an international fixture, you can't take basics like trapping and passing for granted. You can't even afford not to take shorts at goal. SA players frustrate themselves by always seeking to dribble their way into the 18-yard area for them to take shot at goals. I think it would be better SA players practised the brave step of shooting from range and make it a permanent feature of their game, than being happy doing things like showboating. This belong to exhibition matches as crowd pleasing is the nature of friendly games. However once the fixture is declared official, then that means a business approach to match is required.

Our teams again seem not be sure about their strategy when playing away. What is Orlando Pirates going to play for tonight is still to be seen. Pirates need to minimise damage because they are leading by just 1-0. They need to tighten up things at the back and field a midfield that will hold things up for the team, whether in attack or in defence. Basically Pirates must play hold back Al Ahly and force a draw or win narrowly again.
It is possible for Pirates to lead the way tonight, to show SA football can turn the corner from its infamous litany of blunders. Talent of our players is not enough, and there's proof for that. All we need of our players is quest to improve on their technical ability, and seek wisdom about Africa by following current affairs or read for pleasure about the continent.

This will also boost their confidence when they hop onto the plane or bus for internationals. Knowledge is power, so lift up your heads and smile guys. Do it Pirates, do it for yourselves, the country and my dear dad who was a loyal and proud Buccaneer till the end.

Meyer at fault for Springbok humiliation

Outfoxed... Little Japan took on and conquered South Africa's giants of rugby in the world cup's biggest upset 

The pain of losing to Japan in rugby at the weekend was very deep for many South Africans. It cut through their national pride like a merciless knife. Losing is part of the game but SA rugby has no business losing to Japan. That's what so many of us believed when the Asian nation was drawn to give the Springboks their first test in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

True, Japan do not have better rugby players than SA. Their pool of players is small and limited to a few cities where programmes for rugby development exist in the extremely traditional country.
I did not watch the match because of a personal protest, though I kept abreast with progress through a radio broadcast. Rugby writers however are of the opinion that South Africa did not have a clear plan, for the match. EWN's Rafiq Ragiet wrote at halftime that "Japan [was] the more impressive team in the opening forty minutes, despite South Africa scoring two tries to Japan's one".
Apart from the ThobelaFM commentators at one time expressing horror at an error by Bismarck du Plessis, saying even under-13 players would have known better in that situation, I really do not know what happened in that game.

But I know the players selected for this Springbok team... it is not their fault, despite the said blunder by Du Plessis during the Japan match. A third of the players, including captain Jean De Villiers, did not see much action during the season ahead of the World Cup due to injuries. De Villiers and some of his teammates had not fully recovered from their wounds when they were called to play for their country.
Other players like Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield are just too old they have seen enough battles in their illustrous careers. Even worse, Matfield was hauled out of retirement.

Coach Heyneke Meyer is to blame for the mess the Springboks find themselves in. Instead of using his tenure as national coach to carve a clear path forward and usher a new era, Meyer amused himself with dubious experimentation which excluded deserving players along the way. He is so obsessed with the Blue Bulls culture that he sees little folly in trying to replicate it in the national team... Bulls players, culture and all.
People ask if the Lions are the form team in South Africa over the past year, how come their brilliance is not represented in the national team. The answer is Meyer and that Bulls supercilious folly, only because it is natural in Pretoria to feel superior to the Lions.

Meyer also has mishandled the issue of black players that nobody now trusts if he has any determination to see these players shine in the Springboks. Overall, the SA team in the world cup does not reflect the true potential of South African rugby right now. It is for that reason that the players are not to blame for the loss to Japan. Heyneke Meyer is.  
He is the reason for my protest against watching the Springboks in this world cup.

The Boks have the game against Samoa to redeem himself. The Samoans are not world beaters as well, but boast a richer rugby culture than Japan. It's all up to Meyer now, to show some vision.

  

Gentleman Masha deserves glory

Mutual respect . . . football is paying back to Tefu Mashamaite for the respect he has shown the game 

For the second year running a true gentleman for the game will be crowned Footballer of the Season in South Africa. Kaizer Chiefs captain Tefu Mashamaite is hotly tipped to walk away with the title this Sunday, and I agree. 
Kaizer Chiefs have been crowned the PSL champions this month, thanks to Mashamaite's  level-headed leadership. He played all 30 matches for Chiefs this recently-ended season, and he was the mainstay in the heart of the defence which conceded just 14 goals.

When he is announced the winner on Sunday, no one thinks otherwise, "Masha" will be taking over from his former Wits University teammate Sibusiso Vilakazi as the best player in the South African league.
Both Vilakazi and Mashamaite are dedicated soldiers for all that should be good about football. Their clean image and leadership qualities make these two dedicated players real role models for youngsters. The two have chosen good manners and conduct on and off the field to carve out clean-cut images, a positive ingredient to the prestige of any elite league in the world.

Football is also attractive to players who seem to thrive on controversy and never care much about their public image. It is therefore deflating when such characters go to win honours such as footballer of the year, as this would appear to the youngsters that such   wayward lifestyles are being endorsed.
South Africa is blessed with football talent, which unfortunately goes to waste in many instances because of the wrong lifestyle choices players make. Take the case of Mbulelo Mabizela, the 2003 PSL Player of the Season. Back then Mabizela oozed natural gift, and held so much promise for the future, both for himself and for the nation. His potential was such that at 22 he was already captain of both Orlando Pirates and the national team Bafana Bafana. And a month short of his 23rd birthday, Mabizela was signed by Tottenham Hotspur in England, for whom he scored in dream debut.

Then things fell apart. Mabizela enjoyed the good life in England, turning his work at Tottenham to secondary activity. Needless to say, he lost his place in the team, and way in life. His boozing ways continued to make headlines even when his career was given the lifeline by Mamelodi Sundowns, following a listless stint at Norway's Valerenga after fed-up Tottenham had shown him the door.

Today as we speak, Mabizela has gone down with the relegated AmaZulu. But then he had grand opportunities to redeem himself at Platinum Stars and Bidvest Wits, to no avail. Mabizela is not alone in such lost cause in SA football. Most recently reckless drinking ways finally caught up with Richard Henyekane whose career, like Mabizela's, went around in circles through a myriad of clubs, ironically including Sundowns. He was in the books of Free State Stars when he met his death in a car crash. Driving through the night from a party in Phuthaditjhaba, rushing back to club base in Bethlehemone, 80km away, the Kimberley Express was  out of line indeed.

Dying with 31-year-old Henyekane in his vehicle were three young women, who included a schoolgirl. My purpose is not to be judgmental but to highlight the significance of life choices, especially in a short career like football. This is not say, as well, that Vilakazi and Mashamaite are cut from a different cloth. The difference they make to their lives comes from choosing to be rationale, modest, dedicated and hard working.

Mashamaite is also in line to join Lucas Twala (Orlando Pirates, 2009) and, ironically, Mabizela as the third defender to be crowned player of the season since PSL inugural season in 1996/97. The strongest challenge for Mashamaite comes from Chiefs teammate and fellow defender Eric Mathoho. His nomination is in recognition of the fact that Chiefs championship-run was won from the team's solid defence.

Midfielder Alexander Cole of Polokwane City is the third nominee for the player of the season award. Polokwane finished 12th but brought so much excitement as its games were guaranteed goals. Their  total of goals scored is even better than Chiefs', but they leaked horribly at the back, conceding 60 goals from 30 matches!  Cole was part of the reason why Polokwane were so exciting going forward, with their striker Puleng Tlolane finishing third in the scoring charts.

But this one surely goes to Mashamaite. Well done Mokone, you've come a long way from the shadows of the Blouberg, the fortress of warrior-king Malebogo.    

Durban 2022? Level the playing fields first

Eyeball to ball. . . Offiong Edem is one of Nigeria's biggest stars in table tennis. She boasts five All-Africa Games gold medals and one silver from 2007 and 2011 events. Apart from football and athletics, Nigerian women are also a force in table tennis because the sport is easily accessible to them 

As a candidate bidding to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, South Africa cannot lose; Durban is the only city in the race! Citing the expensive bill for the games, Canadian city of Edmonton was the last rival to withdraw its candidature.

However as far as the public opinion is concerned, South Africa is already on the ropes defending its decision to support the bid to host the world event.
Many South Africans are of the opinion that our government is obsessed with hosting international events. Our economy is in its worst shape, and people are concerned that politicians and their friends in business are the only people who benefit from these events, while the rich-poor gap in South Africa continues to widen at an alarming rate.

I agree with most opposing arguments. However, for me the most urgent matter as far as sport in South Africa is concerned, is the need to open up the the playing ground. Many children growing up in South Africa today do not play any sport, let alone the Olympic codes which the Commonwealth Games are about.
Most South African kids grow up without exposure to uncomplicated sports such as table tennis or volleyball, not because we lack the resources to make sure the children and youth have access to these sports in their community.

At the heart of this dearth of the Olympic culture is the absence of the political will to drive mass participation in sport. The problem is especially worse in poor areas where fancy lifestyles driven by popular cultures and and narcissism are what attracts the youth; basically young people are not inspired to sweat it out practising judo, taekwondo, shot put, long jump, running, etc.
It is a calamity that in a free South Africa children have no access to sport, except those living or going to school in upmarket suburbs.

But even more shocking is the inaction of communities, local leaders and political leadership both at all levels up to the cabinet. What kind of strategy or money we need to make sure every school and community hall has a set or two of table tennis equipment? If we cannot afford table tennis and volleyball, why do we waste time talking about swimming and golf in poor areas?
Additional trouble for my soul is that options for black girls have been drastically reduced. Communities have become so hostile that it is practically impossible for a girl to practice sports, or even jog in her neighbourhood. Prospects for girls are dim even at the school grounds after school; that erstwhile safe environment has become hostile and dangerous.

Furthermore, teachers in black communities no longer care to volunteer their time to coach or supervise pupils as they practice sport on school grounds.

Talking about grounds, in my home town of Tembisa some of the sports fields we played on or watched sport at when I was a kid there in the 1980s have been overrun or taken away by other activities, including churches. This has drastically undercut South Africa's Olympic potential; how do we expect to produce athletes of international esteem under such conditions?

In their bid portfolio, the Durban committee lists  the ICC as the competition venue for badminton, boxing, judo, weightlifting and wrestling. Except for badminton, the other sports codes mentioned here were regularly practised by youth at Rabasotho Hall and Tsepo Hall in Tembisa during my childhood. While Rabasotho Hall still stands today, Tsepo Hall had become a  ZCC compound for the past 20 years. Ground No 9, the soccer field closest to my neighbourhood at Mashemong Section, is now exclusively used by the church of Pastor Solly Mahlangu, who is also an award-winning gospel music singer.

The Durban Exhibition Centre is listed as the venue for table tennis and netball. Again, these codes are the simplest to have in abundance in communities because of their very low cost of maintenance. However, since the dawn of democracy, these two sports have had a diminished presence in Tembisa. And that has got nothing to do with shortage of money. If girls cannot practice table tennis and netball, how do we go to sleep without agonising over interventions for this unpalatable state of affairs?

I saw the enthusiasm in Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula when he led the Durban bid committee as it formally lodged the bid with the ICC in London earlier this week. He spoke about how the Glasgow Commonwealth Games last year boosted Scotland's stature in international sport by producing medal-winning athletes. Mbalula predicts Durban 2022 will do the same for South African sport.

I beg to oppose you sir; in the run-up to Glasgow 2014, Scotland's young people had long enjoyed uninterrupted access to Olympic sports in their communities; evidence for this are competition records from local, regional to national levels.

Tembisa and Ivory Park combined have an estimated population of 1 million people. How come in the past year this massive human resource never organised local championship for table tennis, netball, judo, track and field or volleyball?
This is where we should pause and ponder: do we need to host another expensive international sports event or do we need to open up the playing fields and make sure children go out to enjoy regular practice and competition in various sports codes?

I choose the latter.                

France, the biggest player in 2015 Afcon

French influence . . . Ivory Coast's French coach Herve Renard walks by as his 2015 Afcon-winning players celebrate their victory in Equatorial Guinea last month. Renard, who also won the 2012 Afcon with Zambia, was born in Aix-les-Bains in Rhone-Alpes region of western France, near Switzerland and Italy.  

France is inadvertently a major player in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations currently on in Equatorial Guinea. Dozens of players representing various teams have players born in the former colonial power, or players who either were raised in France or live there because of their contracts with French clubs in all levels. 
There are African players from the elite Ligue 1 down to independent soccer academies in all corners of France.
On the opening day of the tournament Spanish-born Emilio Nsue scored for Equatorial Guinea but Congo’s Thievy Bifouma opened the flood gates for French-born players when he equalised later in the match.
The stylish striker was born Thievy Guivane Bifouma Koulossa in Saint-Denis in Paris, within sight of the famous Stade de France. He plays his football in Spain, for Almeria on loan from Espanyol. Bifouma played youth international football for France, with under-20 and under-21 caps. It is remarkable that he's such a central figure for the Red Devils, for whom he only started playing since last year.

In neighbouring Gabon, captain and glamour boy Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was also born in France, in a quiet city of Laval in the north-west. The Borussia Dortmund winger sored as Gabon beat DR Congo 2-0 in the second game of the tournament. More French-born players found the net for their African teams in the subsequent matches, the best being the two scored on the second Saturday of the tournament. On the evening's first match in Group D, Bakary Sako opened the scoring for Mali with a powerful effort against Ivory Coast. Sako was born in Ivry-sur-Seine, in the southern of Paris. He played under-21 internationals for France, before switching allegiance to the country of his parents.
His story is similar to Mali teammate brothers' Mustapha and Sambou Yata, who were born in Beauvais, two hours drive from Paris. Needless to add, Sambou scored Mali's first goal of the tournament.  

In the second match that night, Guinea captain Ibrahima Traore cancelled out Cameroon's early lead as the match ended 1-1. It was a brilliant effort by the likable Traore, who was born in Villepinte, in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris. One of his Guinea teammates, Florentin Pogba, was born in the capital Conakry but grew up in France where his family had moved. He played for the French under-20 team.
Pogba's more famous younger brother, Paul Pogba of Juventus, was born in eastern Paris and he plays international football for his native France.

Other notable French-born stars of the Afcon include Yannick Bolaise, who was born in Lyon, and scored DRC's only goal in the tournament so far, in the draw against Zambia, and Algeria's Yacine Brahimi. Brahimi, also born in Paris, played a full spectrum of French youth squads: U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, U-20 and U-21. For Algeria he represents all that is good about country's mission to recruit from France descendants of Algerian immigrants in France. The benefit of this was players who enjoyed world class development structures in the country of their birth. Algeria are a totally different team now, qualifying for the last world cup and rising to the top of African football rankings.

Even more crucial is that with five coaches France also enjoy the lion's share among the coaches on duty in the 2015 tournament. These are Christian Gourcuff (Algeria), Claude Le Roy (Congo Brazzaville), Michel Dussuyer (Guinea), Herve Renard (Ivory Coast) and Alain Giresse (Senegal). Second best are Belgium and Portugal, with two apiece - Belgians Paul Put (Burkina Faso) and Georges Leeskens (Tunisia) and Portugal's Jorge Costa (Gabon) and Rui Aguas (Cape Verde). Of the last four, only Leeskens has advance to the next round.

I don't know how many players in this tournament were born or groomed in France, but what is clear is that the presence of the former colonial power in north, west and central Africa has an influential presence in Equatorial Guinea right now.  Depending how the tournaments concludes, should the final contain teams with such players, and those who went to France to play professional club football, the France will have every right to boast that they were the biggest country in the 2015 Afcon.

Marked man . . .Bakary Sako of Mali drags two Cameroonian defenders with him as he surges for goals. Sako, a former French youth international, was born in Paris