Itumeleng Khune has bemoaned the rate at which personnel changes in the Bafana Bafana set up, pointing out that the national team has just five members of the squad which clashed with Spain four years ago, whereas the world champions have almost the same team and coach.
Bafana host Spain at Soccer City on Tuesday, the scene of the European giants’ World Cup triumph in July 2010.
Vicente del Bosque’s side will arrive with a line-up that includes stars such as Andres Iniesta – the scorer of the goal that secured victory over Holland three years ago – Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Negredo.
It’s a star-studded team which will have South Africans fearing the worst on Tuesday (9pm kick-off), but captain Khune is concerned about the lack of continuity in Bafana.
“Since 2008, when they won the Euro Championship, Spain have been the same,” Khune said. “I looked at the team we’re playing on Tuesday and many of them played against us in the Fifa Confederations Cup in 2009. That’s what you call continuity.”
It’s true that 13 players in Del Bosque’s team were here four years ago, whereas Bafana have just Khune, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Bongani Khumalo and Bernard Parker from that 2009 tournament.
More importantly, while Spain have retained Del Bosque, Bafana have had four coaches in that period, with the last change in coach coming last year when Gordon Igesund replaced Pitso Mosimane.
“We chop and change,” lamented Khune. “The biggest pressure is on coaches to change teams because the culture of our fans is to demand results now.
“If you lose two matches with the same team, they put pressure on the coaches to change it. When the coach doesn’t change it, they want him changed. But that doesn’t give us time to get used to each other. We can learn from a top team like Spain.”
Khune said the solution was to offer long-term contracts to coaches to implement their philosophies. “If Gordon had an eight-year contract he would relax, knowing that he has time to experiment. He would have the latitude to build a stronger team. But all our coaches get are mandates.”
The Chiefs goalkeeper is braced for a tough encounter.
“It’s a high-profile game,” Khune said. “Everyone wants to play in such games and we are all excited about it. It was an honour to play against the likes of (Iker) Cassilas, Gerard Pique and Iniesta in 2009.”
Spain beat Bafana 2-0 in Bloemfontein in a group match, and 3-2 after extra time in a third-place play-off in Rustenburg, but while they have become stronger, Bafana have regressed.
Igesund has named what he felt was his best squad, but he’s had to make one change.
Tsepo Masilela picked up an injury before Friday’s 3-0 win over Swaziland, and will be replaced by Tebogo Langerman, of Mamelodi Sundowns. - Sunday Tribune