Khumalo must raise his hand and show his mettle

● Even though he called time on his career in 2004, he still commands more popularity than many of the current crop of professional players in the land.

Doctor Khumalo still enjoys universal adulation across the supporters’ spectrum in his post-playing days just as was the case in his heyday.

Because he could play that eyepleasing defence-splitting pass.

Because he could pull a trick that sparks a standing ovation.

He was no ferocious tackler.

Tracking opponents and covering every blade of grass was not his forte.

That just was not his job.

But even then, he would throw in a tackle, win the ball, turning defence into attack, leading to a goal that lingers in the mind for a lifetime.

Such a moment played out on the occasion of a World Cup qualifier at FNB Stadium in 1997.

That August 17 day was an august day when Khumalo intercepted the ball from a Congo Brazzaville player on the edge of the centre circle.

The ball fell kindly for Bafana Bafana chief striker Phil Masinga.

First touch.

Second touch.

Gooaaal.

Thunderbolt.

Cracker.

Scorcher.

Call it what you like.

It was epic.

It was history.

Bafana Bafana book their berth for a maiden appearance at the Fifa World

Cup.

It set in motion, make that auto pilot, Clive Barker’s aeroplane celebration.

Sixteen months earlier, Khumalo had delivered one of those deft passes in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations against Cameroon.

Masinga was at the end of the pass. His opening goal laid the foundation for a 3-0 humbling of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Baroka are really ailing. But fans are itching to see Doctor enter the theatre and show what he can do with his scalpel as the chief operator.

He is a reluctant doctor. Aye, there’s the rub.

When the Chiefs coaching job became available, I asked Kaizer Motaung whether Khumalo was considered for the job.

“Yes,” said Motaung.

So what happened? I quizzed.

“He felt he was not ready,” responded King Kaizer.

I get Khumalo’s reasoning for refusing to step to the plate at Baroka.

He is careful not to fuel the perception that he who is hired as a technical director is just waiting in the wings to take over from the coach. I respect that.

For a man who, on the football field, was the king, he is showing signs of a shrinking violet.

He cannot continue to perpetually run away from responsibility.

We know he is not scared to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty.

His peers are neck deep in the helterskelter of the crazy coaching world.

Chief among them is Pitso Mosimane, who continues to be a shining light of coaching excellence.

The Mamelodi Sundowns mentor is now a battle-scarred warrior who has been there, done that and got the most important T-shirt: Confederation of African Football Champions League medal!

Roger de Sa came unstuck at the last hurdle, the final of the Champions

League with Orlando Pirates.

Eric Tinkler has fallen in the final of the Caf Confederations Cup twice, first with Pirates and later with SuperSport United.

Even his juniors, Benni McCarthy and Fadlu Davids, are making their mark with Cape Town City and Maritzburg United respectively.

This self-doubt will do him no good. He must stop being chicken and get in the kitchen to show he has the right coaching medicine. It is time for Khumalo to raise his hand and show his mettle.

So Phakama Khumalo, ixesha lifikile.

His peers are neck deep in the helter-skelter of the crazy coaching world