If ever there was doubt that 2005 marked a watershed in South African football, some newspaper stories doing the rounds ahead of this weekend’s qualifier, served as confirmation of how times have changed.
In normal times, the words ”World Cup” would have preceded ”qualifier” when referring to the match against the Democratic Republic of Congo. But the chance to go to Germany has long gone, and South Africa need at least a draw to make the trip to the African Cup of Nations in Egypt next year.
It is also time when some of those who helped establish South Africa as a powerhouse in continental football are making headlines for reasons they woould rather not.
Last week, Solomon ”Stix” Morewa, who was, despite the dubious dealings that eventually led to his downfall, nonetheless credited with bringing the African Cup of Nations to South Africa, died of diabetes complications.
The Sunday press reported that Phil ”Chippa” Masinga, who scored South Africa’s arguably most important goal to date — the one that sent Bafana Bafana to their first World Cup finals — was having his house attached because he had defaulted on bond repayments.
Masinga’s goal was, coincidentally, against the DR Congo.
Tickets sales in Durban, the venue for Saturday’s match, have been uncharacteristically sluggish.
Shaun Bartlett, the last of the victorious class of 1996 still in the international picture, could play his last match in a Bafana shirt if he recovers in time from the ankle injury he suffered during training.
Bartlett will be earning his 75th cap. He has scored 29 times and Bafana will hope he is fit enough to give a memorable farewell.
This week, both Bartlett and team coach Stuart Baxter alluded to the need to build a new team. Bartlett went a step further, advocating that Baxter’s tenure as coach be extended and the Englishman be trusted with the rebuilding process.
Baxter returned the favour by defending the former skipper against the suggestion that Bartlett has not always done his best in the national shirt.
”I have to defend the players and say that it is impossible for them to keep 100% focus and react really positively all the time if the section that [former coach] Carlos Queiroz called ‘the poison of South African football’ is trying to assassinate the coach.
”Shaun has been through that so many times that I’m sure, in his mind, it’s very, very difficult to respond forcefully in every situation knowing that there’s a concerted effort being made to get the coach out,” Baxter told the Premier Soccer League website.
But, with all the talk of building a new team, Baxter has opted for a fairly experienced side, with Kaizer Chiefs right-back Jimmy Tau making a return to add to his two caps.
Baxter has not shown his hand about who, if he keeps his job, will be part of a rebuilt team.
Several names have been bandied about, including those of Elrio van Heerden, Steven Pienaar and Nasief Morris — who, despite their youth, are already accumulated some experience at international level.
While South Africa’s group has accepted that Ghana will make their maiden appearance at the World Cup finals, things are less certain in the other groups.
Senegal have to win against Mali in Dakar and hope that their rivals for the ticket to Germany, Togo, lose to the Republic of Congo in Brazzaville. Togo need only a draw to qualify.
Africa’s perennial best bets for the World Cup, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, play next year’s African Nations Cup hosts Egypt in Yaounde.
A Samuel Eto’o-led Cameroon go into the match in a positive frame of mind after beating Côte d’Ivoire away in their last match.
The match in Tunis will determine who between hosts and neighbours Morocco make it to Germany. There are no other contenders in the group.
Surprise package Angola could put Nigeria into national mourning if they win away to Rwanda. If the Southern Africans succeed, Nigeria’s match against Zimbabwe, at home, will be academic. It would mean Nigeria’s run of three successive appearances at the World Cup will have come an end and an era in African football will also end.