Former star Jomo Sono says he is the coach to lift the crisis-torn South African soccer team out of their doldrums.
Bafana Bafana made a humiliating first-round retreat from the African Nations Cup in Tunisia last week after coming third behind youthful Morocco and weakened Nigeria in Group D.
South Africa struggled to overcome whipping boys Benin in their opening match, conceded four goals against Nigeria and drew with Morocco in a match rendered largely meaningless by earlier results.
”We have to get South Africa back on the football map and I’ll coach Bafana Bafana on a full-time basis provided I get to do things my way and not have players and friendlies dumped on me,” Sono said.
Sono, a midfielder who mesmerised opponents two decades ago and has been rated by many as the greatest South African footballer, has coached Bafana Bafana on a part-time basis three times.
He defied the odds to reach the 1998 Nations Cup final in Burkina Faso, took them to the verge of qualification for the knockout phase of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea, and was in charge for a friendly against England last year.
”The World Cup team, with the exception of ageing defender Lucas Radebe, could have gone from strength to strength with rising stars like Steven Pienaar and Jabu Pule still to call on,” said Sono.
”South Africa did not build on the promise but that’s history and the time has come for constructive decisions. We must solve the club-versus-country crisis.”
Europe-based goalkeeper Hans Vonk, defender Mark Fish, midfielder Quinton Fortune and strikers Benni McCarthy and Shaun Bartlett stayed at their clubs during the African showpiece while Pienaar was injured.
”We have to start from scratch with these boys. No country can afford to go into a major tournament without their best players. I will visit these boys if necessary to change their minds.”
Sono refused to judge Nations Cup coach April ”Styles” Phumo, who officially took charge 24 hours before the team flew to North Africa after Ephraim ”Shakes” Mashaba was fired following a clash with the South African Football Association (Safa).
Neil Tovey, the defender who captained the 1996 Nations Cup-winning team, said Safa is to blame for the debacle in Tunisia.
”The problem is that there are too many people in the association who do not have a clue. We have lost it from an administrative point of view. Bafana were in a tough group but we have enough talent,” he said.
”People who have played the game must be put in charge. We need the likes of former Bafana Bafana captains Lucas Radebe and Steve Komphela and Phil Masinga to get involved.”
Veteran goalkeeper Andre Arendse, who excelled when recalled for the Morocco match, said: ”We have to take a long-term view and try to secure a coach who can successfully take us into the future.” — Sapa-AFP