There’s a new energy around South African football and it’s brilliant to see.
The enthusiasm around the national team is something we haven’t seen since the 2010 World Cup, and the big crowds we’ve seen in the league have been encouraging.
On Friday, Bafana Bafana took on — and beat — Congo in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in front of a full house at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
Last month, Orlando Stadium was at full capacity, as was the Free State Stadium when Bafana played Zimbabwe in a World Cup qualifier in June.
It’s a far cry from a mere year ago when head coach Hugo Broos was begging South Africans to start attending national team games.
It’s been an impressive turnaround all thanks to how Broos has transformed and created a feel good factor around the team.
And, for what seems like the first time in ages, South Africans have a number of players we can get excited about.
Our captain Ronwen Williams could potentially be named the world’s best goalkeeper in a little over two weeks. His penalty shootout saves at the Africa Cup of Nations put the country back on the map, nd he rightly deserves to be nominated alongside the world’s best.
And there are others as well.
When in full flight and playing with confidence, Themba Zwane is a marvel to watch, and it’s a travesty he doesn’t have 100 caps.
Teenager Relebohile Mofokeng, while he doesn’t start, can get the crowd off their feet when he comes off the bench, and is a player with a massive future in the game. The likes of Teboho Mokoena, Lyle Foster, Luke le Roux and Aubrey Modiba are also doing their part in energising South African football. Broos’ consistency in his selection has also helped.
Mokoena, though, has to convince Mamelodi Sundowns’ Manqoba Mngqithi to let him play.
And domestically, it’s no coincidence that this is all happening when Kaizer Chiefs are the happiest they’ve been in a long time. When last did you see the FNB Stadium packed to capacity for a game that was not a Soweto derby?
South African football is in a good space, and we should hope that the powers that be at the South African football Association and the Premier Soccer League don’t bugger it up like they’ve done over the last decade.
Mngqithi should also come to the party and let Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau play. It’s for the good of the country.
IOL Sport