BAFANA HAVE AFRICA SMILING AGAIN
SHAKES MASHABA was deep in thought as he sat in his car waiting to drive in to the Nike Centre in Soweto yesterday when his quiet moment was disturbed by a knock on the window.
Opening the window, the country’s senior national team coach was met by a request for a selfie from a young man whose elation knew no bounds when Mashaba,
obliged. Not pleased with his initial shot, the youngster took a second.
For some reason he had to take a third, but then the Bafana Bafana bus had driven in and Mashaba slowly drove towards the gate, leaving the youngster to walk alongside the car with his torso in the car. The picture secured, the youngster ran off – a priceless smile on his face. That though was but just one of the millions of smiles Mashab a has placed on South African football fans’ faces by leading Bafana to their first African Cup of Nations qualification since 2008.
And as they trained in Soweto early yesterday ahead of their afternoon departure for Nigeria where they will play their final 2015 qualifier tomorrow, Bafana got to realise first hand just how much people love a winner.
Scores of fans piled into the Pimville arena to watch the twohour long session and then clamoured for the players’ attention as they requested posed pictures and autographs afterwards.
Mashaba seemed to relish the positive attention for his team: “It’s an achievement that we have to acknowledge,” he said of the qualification that was secured via Saturday’s 2-1 win over Sudan in Durban “We’re very happy and so are our friends and families.”
Though generally humble, Mashaba was pleased that there are those who recognise his incredible feat with the country’s different national teams this season.
“We took the Under-17s to the title of Zone 6 tournament; we also won the Cosafa Cup with the Under-20s and then qualified them for the Africa Youth Championship and now this one with the senior team. Let’s hope we can take the Under-23s to the Olympics,” he smiled.
Many will be hoping he will still be wearing that smile early tomorrow evening after the clash with a desperate Nigerian side in Uyo.
Their place at the 16-team biennial, continental showpiece to be hosted by Equatorial Guinea secured, Bafana have merely pride to play for against a Super Eagles side that has to win if they are to defend their title.
But Mashaba is looking past the pride factor.
“This will be a game beyond three points. Besides wanting to qualify, we all know that Nigeria just don’t want to lose to South Africa,” he said.
“But we’ve got an assignment. We have to break this hoodoo (of South Africa never having beaten Nigeria in a competitive match) and we’ve got to go there and play our hearts out.”
Mashaba is not really worried about the potential gamesmanship Nigeria might apply to unsettle them.
“We only hope that we get the best match officials,” he said, adding that he is pleased with how Bafana have progressed throughout the qualifiers
“I’ve seen my boys improving game-by-game.
“There have been a lot of improvements since the first match against Sudan.”
He did, however, acknowledge that his team took the foot off the pedal a bit against Sudan, who nearly punished them by pulling a goal back and forcing Bafana to play the final 10 minutes under pressure.
“I won’t say it was complacency that nearly cost us. We defended well but in the middle we need to learn to keep things tight, especially because Nigeria are very good in the middle.”
A victory in Nigeria could well have many demanding that Mashaba be given the freedom of the country. Being the humble man he is though, Bafana Bafana’s coach will simply be happy to see South Africans smiling – even if it means at the expense of his private moments.