Not just Ronaldo, our stars can also do it

Don’t do it, warned a friend this week as I told him about the subject I wanted to discuss with you this week. He told me that should I write about this, I would be opening myself up for a lot of criticism and possibly abuse too.

But having grown up in a rural area where I had to learn from an early age to defend and fight for myself, I told him I learnt then that patience and the ability to take it on the chin sometimes is the best way.

I know you are not interested in how and where I grew up so I will move right along. I have this feeling which I can’t really describe. Maybe it is anger. But I know I am not angry. Defeated … yeah, let me say I am defeated.

This feeling came upon me after Cristiano Ronaldo had scored that amazing bicycle kick which left everyone excited. What troubled me was that in their frenzy people were saying no other player could ever score such a goal and then the debates about Leo Messi never scoring such goals came and I felt like just sleeping through it all.

Yes I admit the goal was brilliant, but it was definitely not the best goal I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen Thabo Mngomeni score with his heel from way outside the box and just last year I saw Oscarine Masuluke score a similar if not better goal. And Masuluke is a goalkeeper!

Sibongiseni Gumbi

My point is any player can score such a goal. It just depends on their mental state at the time. If a player has confidence – which Ronaldo has in tons – he can do such things.

Percy Tau made an unbelievable assist in February – in my books more enjoyable than this famous goal. But because we are inclined to see beauty across the river without looking around us first, we will talk of Ronaldo’s goal more than we do about Tau’s assist which is still fresh in my mind like it had happened yesterday.

Even Gavin Hunt said that if that had been done by a Messi or Ronaldo it would have gone viral and everyone would be singing their praises, but because it was a local player we just pretended it didn’t matter.

Now my wish is that we have more players who play with the confidence that Ronaldo or Messi – just to be politically correct – have. Tau is getting there and I think Pitso Mosimane is doing a great job with him and all the other players at Sundowns.

When you watch Sundowns play, it is like they are not a team from this country. From the confidence and the way the players are comfortable on the ball you can see that everyone knows they are talented and believe in themselves and the team.

This is why I believe we will see a more spectacular goal from a Sundowns player than we have seen so far especially in the Absa Premiership. There have been some wonderful goals scored but there is something special in store that Tau or Vilakazi will deliver for us soon.

I admire Ronaldo so much especially for his dedication and the way he takes responsibility for the team’s results and I hope our players will soon reach his level of dedication and resolve.