LOTS of people have asked the question this week why Zambia, with a tiny population and even fewer resources, could win the African Nations Cup and Bafana Bafana couldn’t even qualify.

Many theories were thrown about, including the fact that the Zambian Football Association is being run by former footballers, and for more spiritual reasons, including their coach saying “it was written in the stars” after the tragic loss of the class of 1993 just a few kilometres away from where they annexed the trophy on Sunday.

But the more I thought about it, the more I think the problem is our country’s playing personnel, and not the people running football or the resources that go into the game.

The South African Football Association, though, should first and foremost be held accountable for Bafana not qualifying because of dodgy maths and miscommunication.

Some of those dancing moves still manage to wake me up in the middle of the night, drenched in my own sweat. And I always find myself in the foetal position, much like goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune did that day, although I don’t do it on purpose.

I think we have a false perception of how good our players really are ... We have a wonderful football league, with lots of money and sponsors, but do we have the quality to compete overseas? I think not.

And an embarrassing example is the fact that two of whom we consider our best players went for trials at an English second division team and came back empty-handed. Our best striker has also been for trials in Europe, but his prospects of moving overseas are almost as good as the Heart Foundation endorsing a full-house gatsby.

To me, Teko Modise has been a PSL flat-track bully all his life. But to others, he is viewed as the best thing since, well, a full-house gatsby. However, on the world stage during the Confederations Cup and, more importantly, the World Cup, he was exposed for the vienna parcel he is.

You can argue that, even with the amount of talent they had at their disposal, Ivory Coast should have won the title and not Zambia.

But the fact is that Zambia had three players in their squad who finished as the top-scorer in the South African Premiership over the last decade, including captain Chris Katongo, who was the top-scorer after playing just half-a-season.

So, maybe we just don’t have the greatest generation of players at our disposal to compete on the world stage or even in Africa. Because if Bafana can’t beat “superpowers” like Sierra Leone and Niger, what chance do we have of winning the continental title?

Yes, Zambia’s Nations Cup triumph was fuelled by emotion and determination, but let’s not forget that they had some pretty good players on the park as well …

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

@piersmorgan (talk-show host and diehard Arsenal supporter after the Gunners’ Champions League nightmare at the San Siro): Total, utter, diabolical shambles - thanks to quite dreadful tactics. We need a new manager and a fresh start. #Arsenal

@piersmorgan: Let me spell it out for Arsenal fans blindly insisting Wenger has got a job for life: we don’t qualify for CL, @Persie_Official leaves.

@piersmorgan: And if Persie_Official leaves, the pack of cards falls, and we become a mid-table nonentity. Wenger’s done all he can for us. #Arsenal.

WHO TO FOLLOW

My childhood hero and former Tottenham and England legend @GaryLineker. The banter between Lineker and @piersmorgan gets a bit personal, but it’s also hilarious!

Twitter: @Anchorman82

p Send us your views – john.goliath@inl.co.za