In the build-up to the Olympics, soccer writer NJABULO NGIDI profiles the players who will represent South Africa in Rio and MATSHELANE MAMABOLO reminisces on a member of the Class of 2000, who played in the same position.
Today they look at Abbubaker Mobara and Stanton Fredericks
Johannesburg - The Olympics will be part of a new start for Abbubaker Mobara, who will return from Brazil to a new team in a different city.
That's why the versatile Orlando Pirates player is looking to make an impact in Brazil, so that he can set a good foundation for his new life in Johannesburg following his big move from Cape Town.
“I am looking forward the most to playing in front of big crowds, which is what Pirates get regularly,” Mobara said.
“That excitement of being watched by thousands of people at the stadium and many more on TV, will help me grow because everything will be amplified. If I make a small mistake, I will constantly be reminded about it and if I do something good, I will be celebrated by many people.
“I am ready for that.”
On Thursday, Mobara will play in a packed Brasilia Stadium, with millions in Brazil and many more across the world watching him and the national Under-23 team as they look to tame Brazil.
Clashes with Denmark and Iraq will follow after that.
Such is the versatile nature of Mobara, he could play in three different positions during those three matches. He started out as a striker, partnering Tashrique Morris at Woodlands FC in Mitchells Plain, where the pair was spotted by Ajax Cape Town.
It’s unlikely that they will play together upfront but Mobara's presence will help Morris settle in his first camp with the Under-23s.
Mobara, instead, could feature in central midfield or anywhere at the back, as has been the case during the team's preparations for the Olympics.
That versatile nature makes him an important asset, especially in a tournament where there is a short space of time to recover from one match to the next, with injuries and suspensions also a factor. Even before the tournament has started, the Under-23s medical team is hard at work to have Morris and Mothobi Mvala (central midfielder) ready because of injuries.
Phumlani Ntshangase (central midfielder) is recovering from a tight muscle, while Kwanda Mngonyama (centreback) is recovering from an ankle strain. Mobara can play in all those positions. But his flexibility hasn't always been appreciated by coach Owen da Gama, who has struggled to find his utility player an ideal position within the team.
That looked to have changed in the Cosafa Cup, where Mobara slotted in well at rightback and in that tournament he appeared to show a level of consistency which had previously been absent from his game. . But if Nthangase and Mvala aren't fit, Mobara will have to play in central midfield.
It was pretty glum for Stiga
Fredericks will have looked back at the Olympics with some disappointment because he did not play to his full potential, especially against Japan when he came on for Nkiphitheni Matombo. He was expected to give Amaglug-glug attacking options on the right, but he made no impact.
“Stiga” sat out the Brazil match and started against Slovakia where he showed vast improvement from the cameo role he played in the Japan match. But while he used his skills to some good effect, in the end it counted for nothing as the squad lost and failed to progress from the group stage.
The below-par performance at the finals, notwithstanding, Fredericks remains one of the stars of that Under-23 team - his contribution over the years have been generally stellar.
It was thanks to his goal that South Africa remained in the hunt for a place at Sydney 2000. In trouble following the 2-0 loss to Cameroon in Yaounde, Amaglug-glug hosted Ghana at Vosloorus Stadium needing nothing but a win to remain on course for the Games.
But without Benni McCarthy, Siyabonga Nomvethe and Quinton Fortune following a Safa ruling that these Bafana Bafana stars shouldn’t play for the Under-23s, it appeared Shakes Mashaba’s team was on a hiding to nothing against a Ghana side with its full quota of overseas-based players.
The match appeared headed for a stalemate when an innocuous looking Jabu Pule cross found its way to Stiga, who slotted home only his third goal in over 30 appearances for the squad. It was worth its weight in gold as it put them in the play-off spot, which they won against New Zealand to get to the Olympics.
Stiga had a splendid career after the Olympics, playing for Kaizer Chiefs, graduating to Bafana Bafana and going for spells in three European countries, before coming back home to play for Orlando Pirates, SuperSport and finally Wits.
The Star