Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira officially takes up the reins of the South African national side next week, and a momentous challenge awaits the World Cup-winning coach.
Parreira must restore a winning culture to the squad, build trust with an expectant nation and bring pride back to the national jersey, all the while dodging the obstacles that the South African Football Association (Safa) will inevitably throw in front of him.
There is no doubt Parreira was not the universal first choice for Bafana Bafana coach in the corridors of the Safa offices, with some senior officials pushing their men to the forefront. He will be undermined at times, and even sabotaged by those who see another as more fitting for the role. Having said that, I feel he is prepared for this. He is wily enough to know the politics behind football.
His request for friendly matches to be arranged against the likes of Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Germany and France this year has raised a few eyebrows, given what some people see as the need for Bafana to return to winning ways immediately — which is a short-sighted view.
I think his plan is quite clever, as it achieves three things. One, it puts Bafana back on the global map in terms of high-profile, marketable matches. Two, it gives the players a taste of what they are likely to come up against in 2010; friendlies last year against Lesotho, Namibia and Egypt just don’t cut it.
Lastly, it takes the pressure off him, because he won’t be expected to get results out of these games. If friendly matches were arranged against a fellow African nation or a lesser European one, Parreira would be judged on the score line, but against these giants of the game, defeats would be inconsequential as long as they are not too heavy, which buys him time to put his plans in place for the squad.
It may seem obvious, but I believe Parreira’s success or failure as national coach will be determined by whether he can find a regular goal scorer. Bafana created an abundance of chances in matches in the past two years, but their failure to stick these away from six yards cost them a place at the World Cup in Germany, and provided much embarrassment at the African Nations Cup in Egypt.
Parreira’s teams will be organised, we know. They are likely, given what is at his disposal, to play cautious football that requires patience and a high degree of discipline with men behind the ball.
That being the case, one needs a striker who can be the predator in and around the box, somebody who can take half a chance and turn it into something more.
Such players are few and far between in South African soccer — but there is one, and he is on red-hot form for his club at the moment. Parreira’s ability to persuade Benni McCarthy to return to the national fold could make or break the new coach.
McCarthy has scored 13 times for Blackburn Rovers this season, including against Liverpool and Arsenal, and five times in his past six games. None of these goals have been particularly special; no screamers from 30 yards or diving headers at the back post.
But that is what will please Parreira most: the fact that they have been neat finishes in the box that have shown great awareness, positioning skills and a neat touch. Those three assets have been completely missing from Bafana’s front line since McCarthy’s latest international retirement last March.
My gut feeling is that he will return if asked, but probably on his own terms. He will ask to be allowed to pick and choose matches he plays in, which is fine, to me. Probably one of the reasons why he has been doing so well at Rovers this season is because he doesn’t have to contend with the distraction of international football.
He will be 32 in 2010, a good age for an experienced striker, so wrap him up in cotton wool a little and reap the benefits of a happy Benni McCarthy. Given the alternatives, I feel Parreira has no other choice.
Nick Said is editor: special projects for Kick Off magazine