/ 19 June 2010

2010 diary: Where is Bafana’s plan B?

The vitriol has been harsh over the last 48 hours from the pundits, castigating Carlos Alberto Parreira’s tactics against Uruguay now that Bafana Bafana are all but out of the World Cup.

Strangely, none of them warned of impending disaster after a run of 13 unbeaten matches using the same tactics.

Brazilian coaches are dogged in their self belief. Parreira favours five midfielders all circulating the ball, with a single striker upfront.

Joel Santana was a little more cautious, employing a flat back four, two strong defensive midfielders, three attacking players ahead of them and again, the lone striker. Sometimes he went with a second option upfront, but rarely.

The way the team lines up must play to its strengths. Parreira persistently worked on that, so much so it was an admission that there was not much else in cupboard should things go wrong.

And so it came to pass in Pretoria on Wednesday.

The best possible, exceedingly well-drilled formation, worked on for months and months, was easily picked apart and with it went the World Cup dream.

The truth is there is dearth of international class talent in South Africa and a player stock naïve in the ways of the world game.

A new, younger generation, exemplified by the under-20 side that did so well at the world championships in Egypt, holds out the hope that Bafana Bafana might have a Plan B next time they are on an international stage.