JOHANNESBURG – Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Champions League and Super Cup success stories have played a pivotal role in ushering in a new dawn for Bafana Bafana, who start a new chapter in international friendly matches against Guinea-Bissau (March 25) and Angola (March 28).
While the Bafana Bafana African Cup of Nations class of ’96 - built on the "right players at the right time with the right hunger to succeed" philosophy - is rated as SA’s best ever since democracy was achieved in the Rainbow Nation, Sundowns’ success story in African competitions has proved that local players can hold their own against the best in Africa in 2017.
Fullback Tebogo Langerman, midfielders Hlompho Kekana, Tiyani Mabunda and Themba Zwane, as well as speedy striker Percy Tau, have become men with great reputations on the continental scene based on merit. Add in former Sundowns and now Montpellier midfielder Keagan Dolly, and the Chloorkop-based Absa Premiership champions play a core role in the modern era Bafana Bafana set up.
Gone are the days of being picked on reputation. Worthy players such as Cape Town City’s inspirational goal-getter and game changer Lebogang Manyama plus Supersport United’s midfield attacker Thabo Mnyamane, will be relishing the opportunities coming their way.
Caretaker coach Owen da Gama needs to be commended for adopting a youth approach in picking forwards Luther Singh (SC Braga) and Phakamani Mahlambi (Bidvest Wits), who both recently helped the SA under 20 men’s side to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in South Korea from May 20 to 11 June this year.
In order for the youth brigade to rule the roost down the flanks, in particular, Da Gama will know the importance of ensuring that his central midfield zone can live up to the task of the modern trend of transitional play, meaning get extra players forward on attack and more bodies behind the ball on defence.
Da Gama will have done well to have analysed the transitional change from attack to defence and defence to attack in this regard, which has been mastered by Supersport under the shrewd mentorship of former Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter.
The Scot, a dark horse in the race to become the new Bafana Bafana coach, has returned statistics of 37 points from 20 matches with 32 goals scored and just 12 conceded in what is a sign of their mastering of the transitional playing pattern.
It’s all about playing as a team and not as individuals. The current crop of Bafana Bafana players have the talent, fitness, discipline and tactical know-how. It’s now up to whether they can work the game out between their ears, which leads to playing the ball with their feet. Football, like most sports, is 80 percent mental and 20 percent on the field.