THURSDAY, 12.15PM:
BAFANA Bafana may be out of the World Cup finals, but they have reason enough to hold their heads high, writes ROB DAVIES.
The fact that the South Africans qualified for the tournament is testimony to their spirit and their commitment to South African soccer. For a side that has only been playing international football for six years since readmission, to reach the greatest soccer showcase in the world is a great achievement.
There can be no doubt that the South Africans have the talent to reach great heights in world soccer, they only need experience. The South African Football Association must secure first-class opposition for Bafana Bafana; chances are that they will be trounced by European sides in their first matches, but the experience of playing strong sides will shine through.
The question of coaching staff for Bafana Bafana is a sensitive one, and many people feel that an African coach is the answer. While that may hold true in an all-African tournament like the African Nations Cup, it is not a viable solution in a tournament dominated by European teams.
While Philippe Troussier’s choice of players may have raised a few eyebrows in the beginning of the campaign, players like Pierre Issa and Hans Vonk have shown themselves to be world-class.
Before the World Cup, the South Africans were virtual unknowns in the footballing world outside of Africa, with very few European and South American sides having any experience in playing against them. It is safe to say that attitudes towards them will have changed after the 1998 tournament.
Bafana Bafana will need to take the experience they have gained at France 98 and use it to forge a team that will compete on par with any European, South American or African side they are likely to encounter on their way to the 2002 World Cup.