Mashaba needs a hands-on approach
GOALKEEPING has been a problem for Bafana Bafana, and signs are it might be again in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
But one ex-national team goalkeeper, John Tlale, believes the solution is to simply give the job to Itumeleng Khune.
South Africa open their Nations Cup qualifying campaign against 160th-ranked Gambia. Two of the keepers selected, Khune and Brilliant Khuzwayo, have not been first choice at Kaizer Chiefs. Khune left Chiefs in the past week, the club announcing they would not renew the former Amakhosi and Bafana captain’s contract.
Goalkeeping was a problem position at the 2015 Nations Cup finals in January, where coach Shakes Mashaba’s decision to rotate his glove-men was criticised. Jackson Mabokgwane, the third keeper in the squad for the Gambia game, played one of those games in Equatorial Guinea.
There have been question marks over the Mpumalanga Black Aces keeper’s height and reliability. This was not helped by his performance as Bafana crashed out of the Cosafa Cup a fortnight ago with penalties defeats to Botswana and Malawi.
Tlale said his solution was simple: give the job to Khune.
“I would always put Khune DILEMMA: Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba has a selection problem first, even if he hasn’t had game time,” current SA under-17 goalkeeper coach Tlale said.
“He’s played those big games. When we beat Spain he saved us. He’s been there in big qualifiers.
“This thing of changing goalkeepers makes it seem that we’re not sure who our No 1 is. I think Brilliant and Jackson are good. But Khune’s experienced and that presence can be vital.”
Mashaba’s Bafana got out of the blocks with qualification for the 2015 Afcon with a young team. Latterly that has come unhinged, especially with the selection policy.
Tlale and another ex-SA goalkeeper, Rowen Fernandez, both felt Fernandez’s Bidvest Wits teammate, Moeneeb Josephs, could have had a callup. The past season’s PSL goalkeeper of the year has not played for SA since the African Nations Championship in January 2014, the 35-year-old understandably overlooked as Mashaba has built for the future. But given the issues with the position, Fernandez said Josephs’ presence would have added valuable cover.
“Someone of his experience, get him involved and let him impart that to the younger players,” Fernandez said.
Given the gulf in the teams’ rankings — Bafana dropped 10 places to 69th last week — SA should cruise past Gambia at home, even with goalkeeper issues. The Swiss coach of the team from the west Africa country, Raoul Savoy, is expected to include their first player to play in the English Premier League, Swansea forward Modou Barrow.
Going forward in a group that includes Cameroon and Mauritania, Mashaba will hope to resolve issues.
The coach included a number of under-20 players in the Afcon 2015 qualifiers, and, with the purpose of building for the future, they brought energy to the team. They have not been included in the current squad, a further indication of a drift in the selection policy — as was Mashaba back-tracking on his plan to field under-20s and under-23s at the recent Cosafa tournament. The turnover of callups and dropping of players does not bode well for a solid base.
“When I was younger, to be called to the national team was an achievement,” Fenandez said. “Shakes started well — nation was behind him. And then the wheels came off. And when he starts saying things like, ‘I think my skin colour’s a problem’ [in response to criticism], I start getting upset.”