Bring it home, Banyana

Ellis sings Safa and sponsors’ praises

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has conveyed her deepest gratitude to Safa and the technical committee for the support which led to the team making history by qualifying for the Fifa World Cup.

Banyana qualified for the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup scheduled for France in June after their heroics at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations in Ghana.

Ellis also thanked Safa president Danny Jordaan, the sponsors Sasol and all South Africans for being behind the team.

“My greatest gratitude goes to the South African Football Association, in particular the president – first for giving me this wonderful opportunity to lead this amazing team, and secondly for the unlimited support to me and the entire team to ensure we prepare adequately for this historic moment,” Ellis said.

“I remember at the press conference when I was announced as a head coach permanently after serving as an assistant for some [time], I said to the country, ‘qualifying for the World Cup is non-negotiable’.

“I believed at that time, and thankfully the association also believed, hence the support,” she said.

The Banyana coach said people were not aware of the amount of work and dedication Safa put in to make sure all national teams are welllooked after.

The former Banyana captain was also full of praise for the sponsors who have been there every step of the way.

“Where would women’s football be without the unwavering support from Sasol? When no company wanted to be involved in the female version of the game, they came in and they did not just pump in money but they also made sure they promoted the game as well.

“Today, when people talk about Banyana Banyana and women’s football, Sasol is also in the mix,” added the astute Banyana trainer.

Ellis is also aware of the growing support her team has been getting over the years, and says it was one of the driving forces during the tournament in Ghana.

“Banyana Banyana has seen phenomenal growth in the last few years and we have become better in what we do because of the support of the nation,” she said. – Safa Media

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