Mamelodi Sundowns officials gave the uncomfortable impression on Monday that they were skirting between the devil and the deep blue sea when the issue of Peter Ndlovu staying at the club was raised. And it’s not surprising either considering that the signing of Ndlovu also constituted one of the biggest transfer gaffes committed by a Premier Soccer League club.
The South African Football Association (Safa) shenanigans of the past week regarding accusations levelled against Sbu Mngadi, the former CEO of the national association’s commercial wing, SA Football, continued unabated on Friday — much to the detriment of the reputation of the administration of soccer in South Africa.
On Thursday, the South African Football Association’s (Safa) vice-president and chairperson of the national association’s tottering SA Football subsidiary, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, laid charges with the police against former SA Football CEO Sbu Mngadi over alleged forgery and misappropriation of funds.
With a contingent of supporters from the adjoining Chinatown shopping complex designed to make them feel at home, holders China delivered the goods and generally held the upper hand in a frost-bitten goalless draw against South Africa when the eight nation under-23 soccer tournament got under way at the Johannesburg Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Having lost, in quick succession, coach Muhsin Ertugral to Kaizer Chiefs and assistant coach Ian Gorowa to Moroka Swallows, Absa Cup holders Ajax Cape Town on Tuesday turned to their youth coach, Craig Rosslee, to head their technical operation for the coming Premier Soccer League season.
Expect a considerable number of South Africans to follow the route to court 18 to witness Rik de Voest play Russia’s grumpy and growling but almost grotesquely talented 26th-seeded Marat Safin in the first round of the Wimbledon tennis extravaganza, which gets under way on Monday afternoon.
It features FC Barcelona — one of the most powerful and charismatic teams on the planet — in one of the most talked about club soccer matches played in South Africa in years. But lingering misgivings surround Wednesday night’s highly anticipated showpiece at Loftus, revolving mainly around how Mamelodi Sundowns will fare against daunting opposition.
The prospect of playing in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals now looms as a fait accompli for South Africa — but not without Bafana Bafana coming back to earth with a rude bump in Sunday’s 1-1 qualifying draw against Congo in Pointe Noire.
It was the result Bafana Bafana wanted, but hardly a classy and composed display as they were outplayed by Congo for much of the frantic 1-1 African Nations Cup qualifying draw at the Municipal Stadium in Pointe Noire on Sunday afternoon. Bafana are now well positioned to qualify for next year’s African Nations Cup finals.
Bafana Bafana arrived in Pointe Noire for Sunday’s key African Nations Cup qualifier against Congo and soon a storm of discontent had enveloped the South African camp. Coach Carlos Albert Parreira was fuming over the failure of the Congolese to provide his players with the kind of ball that will be used in Sunday’s game.