South Africa is the sleeping giant of African football. The national side has regressed since they won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 and 21 coaching changes since that triumph is a sign of the team’s underachievement.
The latest coach to step up to the plate and try steer the country back to the top tier is Shakes Mashaba. When he was announced as Gordon Igesund’s successor, fans celebrated the appointment. They believe he is the right man for the high-pressure job due to his previous stints with Bafana Bafana and his impressive record with the national junior teams.
Mashaba is pleased to be sitting at the top table again and he promises nothing but success. Though aware of the challenges he is facing, he is confident he will deliver good results.
“I feel honored that I have been appointed as Bafana Bafana coach again. I am very thankful to the [South African Football Association] for the confidence that they have showed in me by giving me this job. Everyone loves a winner and I know that our fans want to see Bafana Bafana doing well,” says Mashaba.
His confidence is not misplaced. He believes he has everything at his disposal to succeed.
“We have talent in South Africa and we have so many top quality players that I feel they can do a good job for our national team. I know the strength of our players and what they are capable of. I am confident that we will play good football and the people will enjoy it. We will improve.”
South Africans are equally optimistic because of Mashaba’s ability to identify raw talent and his willingness to give young players an opportunity. While in charge of Amajita, the South African Under-20 team, they were crowned Cosafa champions and they recently qualified for the African Youth Championship.
Mashaba is also involved with the Nedbank Ke Yona team, a development side that played against South Africa’s football giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. He insists that development projects like this will be a priority for him as it will ultimately benefit Bafana Bafana.
“It is good when we identify talent at an early age. We give the youngsters the necessary coaching while they are still young so that they can develop in good structures and end up becoming shining stars for Bafana Bafana,” he says.
“I enjoy working with the youngsters, just look at our success with the Under-20s. I feel that there is a bright future for our players in the Under-20 squad and I have confidence that they will achieve a lot wherever they compete.”
Finding the players that make up the Ke Yona team wasn’t always easy but the hard work is staring to pay off.
“I am very impressed with the progress of the program. We have a good vision when we go deep in some rural parts of the country and find talented players who are determined to have an impact in football. It was very encouraging to see the youngsters giving their best against the two big professional teams. I feel that it will be good for football when some of those youngsters get an opportunity to play in some of the Premier Soccer League teams because they have tremendous potential,” he says.
When Mashaba announced his team selection for the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan, his first match in charge of South Africa, he chose players on merit rather than reputation. His players responded to the confidence Mashaba placed in them and produced some exciting attacking football in a 3-0 win away from home.
“We follow the players and look at how they are performing at their different clubs. All the players that we select we feel that they can add the value in the Bafana Bafana squad,” he says.
“I was expecting a tough game from Sudan considering the conditions that we were facing playing away from home. I am happy that our players responded well and we managed to score three good goals.”
Mashaba was determined to keep that positive run going when South Africa hosted their biggest rivals, Nigeria, in a crucial match in Cape Town. The much anticipated clash against the reigning African champions ended in a goalless draw despite South Africa dominating the game. South Africa’s midfield controlled the game but the perennial problem of wastefulness in front of goal let them down.
“We don’t have a good record against Nigeria so we knew very well that it was going to be a highly competitive game. We played well and we created so many scoring opportunities, it was just a pity that we did not score,” says a rueful Mashaba.
“The players gave their best.”
Despite his stature in African football and the promising start he has made in his tenure, Mashaba is reluctant to take any praise that is thrown his way. Instead, he credits his assistant coaches, Owen Da Gama and Thabo Senong.
“I have a strong technical team. The coaches that I work with at Bafana Bafana are very committed. We work well together as a team and make decisions that will help the team get good results,” he says.
Mashaba is modest and hard working. He is also a proud South African and needs the country’s full support so he can get the most out of a team that for so long has flattered to deceive. Let’s hope he will be given a fair chance as he deserves to lead his country at the next World Cup.