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Parreira's blast from the past
01/02/2007 15:30 - (SA)
Johannesburg - If the future of an ailing Bafana Bafana rests heavily in the hands of acclaimed new Brazilian coach Carlos Albert Parreira, the roots for the moment remain deeply imbedded in the past.
This much was evident on Thursday when the former Brazil World Cup coach announced a Bafana squad for his initial, three-day training session at the FNB Stadium next week whose composition suggests it was assembled three or four months ago.
A number of players whose form has been conspicuously indifferent of late and others who are injured and far from match-fit have been included, while several who have shown scintillating form recently have been ignored.
The explanation, no doubt, is that the new coach has elected to provide another chance to the players who were chosen by interim coaches Pitso Mosimane and Khabo Zondo for African Nations Cup qualifying games against The Congo and Zambia last year which Parreira viewed as an observer.
But it is unfortunate that more up-to-date consultation with Mosimane and Zhondo, who are set to join Parreira's technical staff as part-time assistants, did not take place in order to provide a chance to players like Moroka Swallows' Lefa Tsutsulupa who have made giant strides in the last couple of months.
Have not been in the best of form
Paradoxically, Sundowns' Dillon Sheppard has been included after not playing for more than three months while recuperating from injury and others like Cyril Nzama, Benson Mhlongo, Siphiwe Mkhonza and Siphiwe Tshabalala have not been in the best of form or fitness either.
Not included in the Bafana squad are long-time prodigal sons of South African soccer Benni McCarthy and Quinton Fortune, but Parreira made it clear he did not rule out their return in the future.
"If someone does not want to play for Bafana," said the seasoned coach, "we don't want him. But I have had no confirmation from Benni McCarthy, for one, that he does not want to play for his country."
Parreira also displayed his long-standing reputation for conservatism by recalling the 2002 World Cup in which he played a role as a Fifa organiser - and handled arrangements for the game in which Spain beat South Africa 3-2.
"I note that no fewer than nine of those Bafana players are still active," he said, "and there was nothing seriously wrong with that squad."
Parreira said that in his brief observation of South African soccer he had detected that finishing was probably the weakest area and needed attention.
Absence of McCarthy and Fortune
"But no coach in the world can transform a player into a goalscorer in a matter of days," he added, "and it will be an ongoing process in trying to rectify the matter."
Apart from the absence of McCarthy and Fortune, there are nine overseas-based players in the squad of 23 and conspicuously absent has been the bickering and reluctance to attend previous training camps of this nature - a compliment to the stature of Parreira no doubt.
Safa CEO Raymond Hack attempted to extinguish the flames of controversy surrounding FNB Stadium as the venue for next week's camp, which is due to run from Monday to Wednesday, by declaring it was "definitely on" while active reconstruction of the ground which will stage the 2010 World Cup Final would begin in earnest on Thursday.
Earlier, FNB Stadium general manager Dennis Mumble had cast doubts over the venue when he said the reconstruction was already in progress and the pitch was not in suitable condition for the Bafana camp.
Asked what his main object was with Bafana, Parreira said it was to assemble a competitive team for the 2010 World Cup. "Obviously," he added, "we must be positive and aim at winning the competition, but the main thing is for Bafana to do the best it can and fulfil its potential."
The Bafana training squad:
Goalkeepers: Calvin Marlin (Mamelodi Sundowns), Rowen Fernandez (Kaizer Chiefs).
Defenders: Ricardo Katza (SuperSport United), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers), Siphiwe Mkhonza (Kaizer Chiefs), Vuyo Mere (Mamelodi Sundowns), Cyril Nzama (Kaizer Chiefs), Bradley Carnell (Karlsruher).
Mifielders: Steven Pienaar (Borussia Dortmund), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs), Benson Mhlongo (Mamelodi Sundowns), Elrio van Heerden (Club Brugge), Dillon Sheppard (Mamelodi Sundowns), Surprise Moriri (Mameldoi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nkosi (Kaizer Chiefs), Benedict Vilakazi (Orlando Pirates).
Strikers: Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld), Siyabonga Nomvete (Aalborg), Delron Buckley (FC Basel), Katleho Mphela (SuperSport United), Katleho Mashego (SuperSport United).
- SAPA
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