Andrew Muchineripi : Soccer
Clive Barker is displaying remarkable confidence ahead of the Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia for a national coach whose team has been outplayed in three consecutive matches.
He told reporters before departing for the eight-nation tournament that Bafana Bafana would reach the final and only world champions Brazil presented a threat to his ambitions of ultimate glory. Given the almost complete failure of South Africa to compete with a Brazilian B team at Ellis Park last Sunday, the other six contenders for the latest addition to the international calendar must be amused.
Bafana Bafana are joined by the Czech Republic, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay in Group B with Brazil, Australia, Mexico and Saudi Arabia comprising the other pool.
Far from being second favourites as Barker would have us believe, South Africa share with the United Arab Emirates the role of outsiders in an event that looks there for Brazil to win. But then many of the words uttered by Barker recently do not make sense, like claiming Brazil were lucky to triumph 2-1 last Sunday and that five more minutes would have produced a different result.
“We had Brazil under tremendous pressure in the second half and deserved at least a draw,” he told a post-match media gathering. “Another five minutes and I am sure we would have got a draw.” What utter rubbish! Brazilian goalkeeper Dida did not make a single save during the match and the late South African rally stemmed largely from inevitable tiredness of the South Americans.
Lacking seven regulars, including World Footballer of the Year Ronaldo, due to demands from Italian and Spanish clubs, Brazil battled to assemble a squad and had only four substitutes.
This did not stop the South Americans toying with opponents using a 1-4-4-1 formation for the first time. While Brazilians ran into space, South Africans ran into each other.
Barker said the purpose of the system was to combine African flair with strength, to bring steel to the defence and mobility to midfield. What transpired was something completely different. As sweeper, Neil Tovey was supposed to lie behind central defenders Mark Fish and Lucas Radebe, yet Romario had the freedom of the park for the first goal and Bebeto rose unhindered from a goalmouth tumble with Radebe to score the second.
Goalkeeper Andre Arendse and the five defenders gave adequate displays although they were lucky early in the second half when Romario wasted a good chance, Denilson struck the upright and Bebeto had a penalty appeal rejected.
Midfield did not exist with the normally reliable John Moeti having a real off-day, Eric Tinkler giving his second consecutive poor performance and Doctor Khumalo and Shoes Moshoeu virtual spectators. South Africa can no longer enjoy the luxury of employing Doctor and Shoes, who are commonly described as playmakers, yet fall far short of what is required for occupants of the position.
A playmaker dictates midfield, receiving and distributing the ball with Zinedine Zidane a good example of what is demanded from the role. It is not the very occasional party trick from Doctor or the equally rare cross or tackle from Shoes.
While respecting Barker for what he has achieved since taking charge, he seems to be ignoring that Shoes, Doctor, Tovey and vice-captain Sizwe Motaung do not deserve places in the starting line on present form. The tried and trusted have become the tired and unreliable with Shoes and Doctor not performing, Tovey more frequently caught out of position, and Motaung vulnerable in defence and unimaginative in attack.
In Saudi Arabia, much will depend on the spirit of our rivals, all of whom failed to qualify for the 1998 World Cup in France. The Czechs should win the group with Uruguay second and South Africa third. After losses to France, Germany and Brazil, the last thing Barker needs is three more defeats that would cast a huge shadow over the squad ahead of the African Nations Cup defence in February.
There is also a desperate need to defeat a European or South American nation to banish any thoughts of an inferiority complex ahead of World Cup clashes with France and Denmark come June. What angers many Bafana Bafana supporters is that the time for experimentation will soon run out with Shoes and Doctor clinging to first-team places while Dumisa Ngobe, Jabu Mnguni, Brendan Silent and others sit idly by.