Andrew Muchineripi previews Bafana Bafana’s chances at African soccer’s showpiece in Nigeria and Ghana
Cometh the hour, cometh the men in the 2000 African Cup of Nations, or will it be The Boys, otherwise trading as Bafana Bafana Public Ltd under the management of Trott Moloto.
Logic dictates that co-hosts Nigeria and Ghana start as favourites to win the first continental championship of the new century, and not only because they have that most precious of assets, home advantage.
Nwankwo Kanu, Taribo West, Celestine Babayaro, Finidi George, Jay Jay Okocha and Sunday Oliseh of Nigeria and Samuel Kuffour, Charles Akunnor and Kwame Ayew of Ghana are players coaches dream about having.
But enough of this Muchineripi neutrality! What is going to stop Lucas Radebe climbing the steps of the Surulere Stadium in Lagos on February 13 and lifting the Unity Cup high into the African sky?
The simple answer is, nothing -provided our beloved boys adapt quickly to the alien heat and humidity of West Africa, play with passion and skill, and enjoy that little bit of luck that every championship- winning side needs.
When I imagine the team Bra Trott will send into battle against Gabon in the central Ghanaian city of Kumasi on Sunday night (9.45 SA time), my chest swells with pride and my heartbeat quickens in excited anticipation.
At the back, the humble, reserved former schoolteacher from Pietersburg is spoilt for choice and I doubt if any other coach among the 16 finalists has three better goalkeepers than Andre Arendse, John Tlale and Hans Vonk.
Arendse is back to the form that played such a significant role in the 1996 Nations Cup triumph of Bafana Bafana, and the professionalism of Vonk continually shines through.
But was John Tlale not the man who saved South Africa from an embarrassing home defeat by Saudi Arabia last September in the Afro-Asian Nations Cup only to miss the return match due to injury and let Arendse in?
This humble member of the Muchineripi clan believes Arendse will be rewarded for blank sheets against the Saudis and Sweden with a place in the starting line-up while Vonk sits on the bench and Tlale settles for the stand.
Captain Radebe and Pierre Issa, the Germiston-born boy who arrived at Bafana Bafana via Lebanon and France, are certain starters in the rearguard of a 3-5-2 system.
I suppose most of you would complete that list with Mark Fish, but not me. My vote goes to Papi Khomane, a less adventurous but far more disciplined defender.
The Fish “walkabouts” may be acceptable in a 4-4-2 system because there are still two man- markers and a sweeper, but no such luxury exists in the Moloto world. So please, Bra Trott, try Khomane, Issa and Radebe.
In a previous column I looked at the numerous midfield options and came up with Helman Mkhalele, Thabo Mngomeni, Shoes Moshoeu, Eric Tinkler and Quinton Fortune as the likeliest starters.
Nothing has happened to change my mind and I will just repeat the observation that we could be vulnerable under pressure if the opposition concentrate their attacks on the flank where reluctant defender Mkhalele is deployed.
Shaun Bartlett and Pollen Ndlanya seem certain to start up front now the farcical Benni soap opera has gone off air. Who does McCarthy believe he is? The national team is not a bus one hops on and off and on again.
Popular opinion is that South Africa are in the easiest of the four groups with Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon, and that they should qualify with plenty to spare. I beg to differ.
Nothing can be more dangerous than an unheralded team dismissed as no-hopers before a ball is kicked. Algeria and Gabon have nothing to lose, Congo very little and South Africa everything.
There will be no problems if we get on top, score, and stay on top. What we do not want to witness is an early moment of defensive madness by someone like Fish putting Bafana under pressure and the crowd turning against us.
Algeria can only improve after sliding so far since 1990, when they won the tournament, and although Congolese preparations have been as chaotic as ever, they finished third last time round.
Many have worried about the lack of practice matches in the Bafana build-up. They have played four serious matches since June while Gabon have played 15 since October. A case of practice makes perfect, perhaps, for the Central Africans.
Assuming we win a group where Congo will probably finish second, the real tests begin with a quarter-final against Ghana, Cameroon or Cte d’Ivoire, followed by a semi-final against Nigeria, Morocco or Tunisia.
If Lucas and his boys survive that lot, they will be ready to take on the Martians in the final, never mind mere Earthlings. Good luck, Bafana. I dream of victory and my thoughts envelope our beautiful land.