South Africa bowed out of the World Cup with heads held high on Wednesday. A bright future beckons for Bafana Bafana, but coach Jomo Sono is less certain about his own future.
South Africa’s 3-2 loss to Spain in Group B, combined with Paraguay’s 3-1 win over Slovenia meant it was the two Hispanic sides that progressed into the second phase from Group B.
”This can be a cruel game sometimes but our team played very well, I’m proud of them and all of South Africa should be proud of them.
”But we gave away three silly goals and you can’t do that at this level,” Sono said.
”Nevertheless, we can go back to South Africa with our heads held high. This is maybe the best South African team ever, certainly better than four years ago. In another four years I think we will qualify for the second phase,” added the former New York Cosmos player.
At France 98, when South Africa played in the World Cup finals for the first time, they lost against the eventual winners France and drew with Denmark and Saudi Arabia, but showed little of the attacking spirit so evident in Korea.
Sono had no regrets about his out-and-out attacking style against the Spanish, which threw caution to the wind.
”This was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever seen. I said to my players, ‘If they score one, then go out there and score two’.
”It was a deliberate tactic to play an attacking game.”
Sono’s contract as caretaker coach, his second such stint with the team, has now come to an end and he will revert back to his former position as technical director of the South African Football Association.
However, he has left the door open about resuming his coaching duties again.
”I’m going home and then I’ll decide what I’m going to do,” said Sono, following Wednesday’s defeat.
”But, I’ll tell you something else, I’ve lost worse games than this, including a cup final 5-0. I’ve been in this game more than 20 years and I don’t feel any pressure.”
The last few days have been far from comfortable for Sono though.
A pinched nerve in his neck lead him to take medication.
”I didn’t sleep for two nights before the game, but not because I was worried about facing Spain,” Sono said, with an attempt at some humour despite the heartbreaking circumstances.
Sono has the advantage over many previous coaches because he has the respect of the players, and there are likely to be several making entreaties to Sono and to Safa for him to stay on.
”Jomo has instilled a spirit that wasn’t there before under many previous coaches. The atmosphere among the squad at this World Cup has been better than on most other occasions over the ten years I have been playing international football,” commented South Africa captain Lucas Radebe.
Radebe himself was given a clean bill of health after being concussed and stretchered off, following a clash of heads with his own team mate, Aaron Mokoena.
Sono is not universally popular though outside of the team camp because of his sometimes eccentric methods and machinations.
Former coach Carlos Queiroz was ousted by Sono in the wake of South Africa’s quarter-final exit at this year’s African Nations Cup, and was public in his criticism.
”The man (Sono) who was appointed to help me, ended up stabbing me in the back,” Queiroz told South African reporters upon his departure in March.
Sono didn’t even bother to attend one World Cup warm up match against Ecuador and, by his own admission, he is not a tactical genius.
”I prefer to let the players go out and express themselves,” he said recently, an attitude which despite its appeal, may ultimately be proven as having been South Africa’s undoing in Korea.
– Sapa-AFP