ANDREW MUCHINERIPI, Pretoria | Sunday 6.00pm.
EPHRAIM Shakes Mashaba is the happiest man in the world. Right? Not quite. There is a potentially major problem looming for a coach who was elevated to the ranks of national hero this weekend.
The burning issue is which 18 players does he take to Sydney. Does he stick with his ‘children’ – the national under-23 squad that battled its way through Africa and past New Zealand?
Or does he take advantage of the different rules for the finals and include three over-age players? And, equally important if he goes that route, which three senior playrs does he choose?
Having a reasonable knowledge of how football works in South Africa, I should probably add the poser: will Mashaba be allowed to decide or will South African Football Association officials once again interfere where they do not belong.
The view of this humble scribe, and I believe it is shared by Bra
Shakes, is those who battled to get Amaglug-glug to Sydney should also reap the rewards and travel Down Under.
There will be fierce competition for places, anayway, because you have
to add at least defender Aaron Mokoena, midfielder Abram Nteo and striker Benni McCarthy to the 18-man squad that overcame New Zealand 1-0 on Saturday.
Should Shakes go, or be forced to go, the other route, Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe, workaholic midfielders Thabo Mngomeni and Godfrey Sapula and star striker Shaun Bartlett spring immediately to mind.
But the more I ponder over the issue, the more I believe it would be wrong. Matthew Booth has led Amaglug-glug through Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Guinea and New Zealand. He must continue to lead the players that achieved glory.
Besides, given the reluctance of English Premiership club Leeds United
to free Radebe even for Bafana Bafana matches, one suspects the mere mention of the world Amaglug-glug would send manager David 0’Leary into orbit.
South Africa qualified 4-2 on aggregate having won the first leg 3-2 in Auckland eight days ago and join Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Honduras, Japan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, South Korea, United States and hosts Australia.
The four European representatives will come from Croatia, Slovakia,
Czech Republic, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Turkey and the draw for the final takes place in Sydney next Saturday.