Bafana boss’s words fall on stony ground

CAIRO – “We’ve beaten Egypt, watch out Africa!” declared South African football boss Ted Dumitru last week after a friendly victory.

Yesterday, he was probably wishing he hadn’t got so carried away. The once proud ‘Bafana Bafana’ side that celebrated its return to international sport by landing the 1996 African Nations Cup were outplayed by Guinea in their Group C opening match of this year’s renewal and were fortunate not to be beaten by more than 2-0.Even the normally sober official African Nations Cup website didn’t spare them.”A quite atrocious South African side succumbed pathetically…Ted Dumitru’s side, who could barely string a pass together, got what they deserved – absolutely nothing,” was their reporter’s blunt but honest assessment.Dumitru, a 69-year-old Romanian-born coach who earned his reputation in South Africa with back-to-back titles with the Kaizer Chiefs and the Sundowns, put it down to his younger players panicking.”We lost it psychologically,” said Dumitru, who saw his previous chance of taking a side to the 1982 edition in Libya dashed when Zambia were allowed in but he was barred.”You didn’t see the real South Africa on Sunday.I am disappointed but I can guarantee that there will be a totally different team against Tunisia in the next match.”Our team is a mixture of experienced players and young ones and some of the less experienced got carried away.”That was a touch unfair as the more experienced players left such as new captain Sibusiso Zuma and Benni McCarthy completely misfired.However many will point the finger of blame at the ageing coach and his selection policy which saw him ditch from the squad the solid and experienced central defensive partnership of Blackburn Rovers Aaron Mokoena and Panathinaikos’ Nasief Morris and laid the foundations for the catastrophic performance.His decision to put Mokoena’s captaincy to a vote which Zuma won, though Zuma voted for Mokoena, indicated that the coach known as the ‘Professor’ would brook no argument in his squad.Instead Dumitru opted to select veteran Pierre Issa, who played in the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals, proudly declaring he had been voted player of the month in Greece.The Professor failed that exam when it was revealed that Issa hadn’t actually played for his club OFI Crete for six months.Two others of his squad probably weren’t in the best frame of mind either as Vuyo Mere is facing charges of abusing police and Benedict Vilakazi – who played in the Guinea debacle – is up on charges of rape of a minor and both were allowed to travel because the judges postponed their respective trials.With matches to come against champions Tunisia – ruthless 4-1 victors over Zambia – and the Zambians, who were very lively up front but porous in the back, the South Africans look set to complete their decline from African giants to also-rans.A sad tale just four years away from them hosting the greatest football show on earth, the World Cup.- Nampa-AFPThe once proud ‘Bafana Bafana’ side that celebrated its return to international sport by landing the 1996 African Nations Cup were outplayed by Guinea in their Group C opening match of this year’s renewal and were fortunate not to be beaten by more than 2-0.Even the normally sober official African Nations Cup website didn’t spare them.”A quite atrocious South African side succumbed pathetically…Ted Dumitru’s side, who could barely string a pass together, got what they deserved – absolutely nothing,” was their reporter’s blunt but honest assessment.Dumitru, a 69-year-old Romanian-born coach who earned his reputation in South Africa with back-to-back titles with the Kaizer Chiefs and the Sundowns, put it down to his younger players panicking.”We lost it psychologically,” said Dumitru, who saw his previous chance of taking a side to the 1982 edition in Libya dashed when Zambia were allowed in but he was barred.”You didn’t see the real South Africa on Sunday.I am disappointed but I can guarantee that there will be a totally different team against Tunisia in the next match.”Our team is a mixture of experienced players and young ones and some of the less experienced got carried away.”That was a touch unfair as the more experienced players left such as new captain Sibusiso Zuma and Benni McCarthy completely misfired.However many will point the finger of blame at the ageing coach and his selection policy which saw him ditch from the squad the solid and experienced central defensive partnership of Blackburn Rovers Aaron Mokoena and Panathinaikos’ Nasief Morris and laid the foundations for the catastrophic performance.His decision to put Mokoena’s captaincy to a vote which Zuma won, though Zuma voted for Mokoena, indicated that the coach known as the ‘Professor’ would brook no argument in his squad.Instead Dumitru opted to select veteran Pierre Issa, who played in the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals, proudly declaring he had been voted player of the month in Greece.The Professor failed that exam when it was revealed that Issa hadn’t actually played for his club OFI Crete for six months.Two others of his squad probably weren’t in the best frame of mind either as Vuyo Mere is facing charges of abusing police and Benedict Vilakazi – who played in the Guinea debacle – is up on charges of rape of a minor and both were allowed to travel because the judges postponed their respective trials.With matches to come against champions Tunisia – ruthless 4-1 victors over Zambia – and the Zambians, who were very lively up front but porous in the back, the South Africans look set to complete their decline from African giants to also-rans.A sad tale just four years away from them hosting the greatest football show on earth, the World Cup.- Nampa-AFP