Youngsters can break South Africa’s World Cup hoodoo – Benni
BAFANA Bafana great Benni McCarthy is banking on the current crop of young players to end the 20-year hoodoo of South Africa constantly missing out on qualifying for the Fifa World Cup.
McCarthy, who is currently coaching Absa Premiership outfit Cape Town City, is optimistic that Bafana will be one of the nations representing Africa in 2022 in Qatar.
Bafana haven’t qualified for the World Cup since 2002. They participated in 2010 in South Africa but that’s only because they were the host nation.
They missed out in 2006 in Germany, 2014 in Brazil and they will watch the Russia showpiece on television when it kicks off in two months’ time.
McCarthy knows what it is like to play at the World Cup having represented South Africa twice in the biggest international competition.
He was in the squad in 1998 when Bafana played at their maiden World Cup in France and took part in 2002 in Japan/Korea.
The former striker told the media after his side played out to 1-1 stalemate against Maritzburg United at Harry Gwala Stadium this past weekend in a PSL encounter that the future looks bright for Bafana.
“I’m very happy with the young boys like Craig Martin and Thabo Nodada. They are able to make the step up in their game. I hope they continue and push. Like Ndlovu (Siphesihle of Maritzburg United) they can find themselves fighting for the place at Bafana.
“They are young and they’ve got age on their side. I think it is good that these young players are coming up and playing the way they are playing.
“The future is starting to look bright for Bafana because having all these players improving and getting better and better it is good for the country. Hopefully come 2022 in Qatar we are there. We have to be there and I believe they can do it,” McCarthy said confidently.
Maritzburg United midfield kingpin Ndlovu has been flawless this season and so has Martin at Cape Town City. Bafana coach Stuart Baxter called up Ndlovu for the Four Nations tournament that Bafana Bafana won in Zambia.
The Bafana team will now set their sights on booking a place in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) competition in Cameroon. They commenced very well, thumping Nigeria 2-0 on their backyard.
Bafana haven’t qualified for the major tournament since 2015, when they were knocked out at the group stages of the Afcon.
Meanwhile, other young SA players who have shown potential this season are Wiseman Meyiwa from Kaizer Chiefs, Ajax Cape
Town’s Grant Magerman, Motjeka Madisha from Mamelodi Sundowns and Siphelele Magubane from Lamontville Golden Arrows.