Menzi Magubane
The Tokyo Olympics are nearing their end and as a country we have been given little to smile about.
South Africa has earned one gold and two silver medals thus far but my biggest disappointment has been our Under-23 soccer team.
They arrived in Tokyo and were the first to be eliminated with three straight losses in their group before being sent home. It’s as if they were never away.
The fact that David Notoane’s side scored only three goals and conceded eight tells its own story.
I need to talk about this because we always fail to do well in major tournaments – and I’m not only talking about the Under 23s. All our teams consistently do badly.
Since Bafana Bafana enjoyed that magnificent win in the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, they have endured a downward spiral on the international stage. While we have one of the richest leagues in Africa, our national teams have been disappointing.
Many comments on social media from football lovers after our exit in Tokyo have applauded the boys for their efforts – especially after their second defeat against France for their display in that match.
Others said our boys played well and they didn’t deserve that defeat. Many even went as far as saying it was a good learning experience for them in these games.
Really? We lost all the games and defensively we were poor and without structure.
It is time to be brutally honest and admit that our development system needs some serious intervention.
These Under 23 players are supposed to be feeders for Bafana Bafana. We can hire all the experienced and expensive coaches out there but money needs to be more wisely spent on facilities and scouting. If it isn’t, we will continue to struggle in big tournaments for many years to come.
Our football governing body, SAFA should take the blame for what is happening to our national teams.
Image source: @safa.net
