With the African Nations Cup finals to look forward to, it is hoped that the administrators match the success of the
SOCCER: Lungile Madywabe
ON the field, South African soccer has made admirable progress since its readmission into world football three years ago but this progress has not been reflected in the administration of the game.
It is therefore worrying when South African Football Association (Safa) executive president Solomon Morewa continues to lambast journalist for what he calls “bad soccer coverage”. What this means is that journalists must pretend not to see serious pitfalls in the administration of this popular sport.
To back up his argument he cites the recent results the national team and Orlando Pirates have achieved. This is, as he says, “despite many years of isolation South African soccer has endured”. But Morewa is missing the point. People are not undermining Safa soccer and its achievements, but are pointing fingers at the inept administration that the organisation and its affiliate the National Soccer League (NSL) are known for.
Simple things like meting out punishment to teams transgressing the rules take many months before appropriate action is taken. It took the NSL disciplinary committee more than two months to settle a protest lodged by Mamelodi Sundowns against Rabali Blackpool for failing to produce one of their players’ ID cards. There are many disciplinary cases that were supposed to be heard this year but for reasons best known to the NSL, they have been carried over to next year.
What about Safa’s continued failure to deal with the question of unity between the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) and the NSL? One hopes that this embarrassing issue will be sorted out next year. One also hopes that the problem of security will be given sober attention now that Pirates has been fined R18 000, for the violence that occurred at the FNB stadium in their match against Asec Mimosa.
On a lighter note one hopes that the level of administrative competence and efficiency required by CAF for the smooth running of the African Nations Cup in January will not end with the tournament but will be carried through to our domestic game.
The tournament features 16 African countries, runs from January 13 to February 3. It will be played at four venues across the country: Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Durban and Port
African footballer of the year George Appong Weah will accompany the Liberia team in their quest to conquer Africa. Liberia are in group C which is based in Durban. They are in the same group as Nigeria, Zaire and Gabon.
Our own team will probably feature the likes of Leeds United striker Philemon Masinga and Mark Williams of Wolverhampton. Masinga has been out of action for the better part of the year because of a groin injury. Brendon Augustine, who last played for South Africa in the friendly international against Mozambique, is likely to be recalled to partner Masinga and Williams.
Andre Arendse of Cape Town Spurs is likely to keep his place in the goals. Arendse denied Jurgen Klinsmann a goal when he made a timely save in a goaless draw between South Africa and Germany recently.
Ghana, who are in a group with Tunisia, Ivory Coast and Mozambique, will pin their hopes on twice footballer of the year Abedi “Pele” Ayew.
Holders Nigeria have been plagued by the political problems in their country which have affected the preparations of their national team. They were recently supposed to travel to theNetherlands but the trip was cancelled and the Israeli embassy refused to give them
Their striker Rashid Yekini, who is based in Spain, may not be fit to play in the tournament because of a nagging injury. The Nigerian squad is likely to include youngsters from their 1993 under-17 team and the under-20 squad who featured in the Africa Championship this year. In a last gasp attempt to tune up for the tournament, Nigeria are negotiating to travel to Tunisia or Ethiopia.
Expect to see a much changed Zambian team from the one that took part in the Four Nations tournament. Coach Roald Poulsen is unlikely to travel to South Africa without his two Saudi Arabia-based players, Harrison Chongo and Elijah Litana. Johnston Bwalya and Kalusha Bwalya, who is based in Switzerland, both missed the tournament and this time they are likely to be make the trip south.