Komphela has his own monsters to deal with, and Shakes has his
JOHANNESBURG: Steve Komphela spent most of the Soweto derby post-match press conference watching every word he uttered, but towards the end he let slip that club coaches look after their interests first before even considering those of the national team.
It wasn’t an earth-shattering statement but it showed the dynamics at play, especially since this came from a man who has also coached the national team.
But the problem is from both parties, whether you look at the fact that there hasn’t been much talks from Bafana Bafana’s technical team with coaches whose clubs are involved in away legs of their Caf commitments the weekend that the national team will assemble or when you look at the fact that the top four clubs in the Premiership are led by foreign strikers.
On Thursday Shakes Mashaba will name his squad to take on Cameroon in crucial back-to-back 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers where Bafana Bafana have just one point in two matches.
Amakhosi boasts the strongest goalkeeping department in the country where their third choice goalkeeper can hold his own. Reyaad Pieterse started at number three, while Brilliant Khuzwayo deputised for Itumeleng Khune.
But Khune
(injured) and Frontrunners: Darren Keet, Jackson Mabokgwane and Ronwen Williams. Wildcard: Sherwyn Naicker. Khuzwayo (second choice) haven’t had much game time, just like Jackson Mabokgwane at Mpumalanga Black Aces.
The trio, along with Darren Keet, are the keepers that Mashaba has used in search of a permanent No 1 since the death of Senzo Meyiwa.
“There are stages where sometimes a national team coach will have this goalkeeper because he has worked with him consistently and he knows what the goalkeeper is capable of,” Chiefs coach Komphela said.
“On the other side, for whatever reason, we as league coaches do not give the opportunity to such keepers and then it makes it difficult for the national team coach. But it is a question of we are handling our own little monsters here and he has his own monster there.
“We have to take care of our own and they have to take care of their own demons. That’s how it works.”
That’s why Mashaba is in this predicament, which isn’t helped by Moeneeb Josephs, the keeper who has kept the most clean sheets (10) in the league and has played the most games in the PSL era, saying his “passion for the national team is gone”.
Keet could be the solution in the sense that he is part of the setup and has played all 28 league matches for his Belgian side KV Kortrijk where he has also kept nine clean sheets.
Keet was the casualty of the 2015 Afcon where Mashaba fielded all three keepers – Keet, Mabokgwane and Khuzwayo – in the three group matches in Equatorial Guinea.
Another option is Ronwen Williams, but he has struggled for form just like his club SuperSport United. If Eric Tinkler’s words are anything to go by, his No 1 at Orlando Pirates Brighton Mhlongo isn’t the solution just yet.
“I think that Brighton is a keeper who still needs to grow,” Tinkler said.
“There are still a few areas of his game that he recognises, he needs to improve on. He has the ability that he can reach that level. His objective is to play for Bafana Bafana one day but there are areas of his game that he needs to get a lot better at.
“It also depends on what are we looking for. Are we looking for a quick fix or a long-term solution?”