Safa and PSL exposed with Qatar failure

THE upsetting truth has been coming for some time and now that it’s here, it’s time for those in power in South African football to accept it and seek to improve our game going forward, no matter the cost.

After Bafana Bafana lived up to expectations by failing to qualify for the World Cup, all eyes were fixed on other nationalities to represent the DStv Premiership at the showpiece event in Qatar, starting on Sunday.

Strangely, our hopes were put on Ghana, who shadily booted us out of the qualifying group stages before beating Nigeria in the play-offs. The masses were rallied behind Orlando Pirates’ Richard Ofori to make the final cut in Ghana’s squad and be the only player from the PSL in the Middle East.

But that didn’t come to fruition as Ofori failed to make the Black Stars’ final squad due to injury. The goalkeeper must have been disappointed when he learned his fate.

Nevertheless, for generations, we’ve boasted about being one of the great footballing nations on Earth, and most certainly in Africa, likening our identity to that of Brazil.

But what have we done to embody that notion?

Zilch. In the last 26 years alone, our football has taken a downward spiral instead of progressing. Beside winning the 1996 African Cup of Nations crown and qualifying for the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals, South Africa has rarely been about football.

Things have become so bad that qualifying for Afcon doesn’t seem to move us anymore. It’s either we are not there or just in it to make up numbers. In the last decade of being in and out of the African showpiece and failing to qualify for two World Cups in a row, we’ve had five Bafana coaches.

Safa said they appointed Hugo Broos because of his continental pedigree and knack of moulding youngsters who are our future. But after more than a year into the job, what has Broos done? It might sound as if I’m shifting the blame on our shortcomings on Safa for our exposed incompetence in failing to have any PSL-based players in Qatar, but no.

The 32 premier clubs must also ensure that they attract and produce players that will become integral in their national teams as well. They have failed miserably in this endeavour. Due to the stipulation that the league be suspended to allow players to report for international duty, the PSL postponed their footballing activities on the pitch ahead of the World Cup.

And for what? It will be nothing more than an extended break for the 32 professional teams. Something must give if Bafana and the PSL stars are to avoid watching the next World Cup from the comfort of their couches. And that’s why it is perhaps time for Safa and its special member, the PSL, to smoke the peace pipe and join forces for the betterment of our football, or prepare to continue to sit on the sidelines in ignominy.