Neil Tovey on Bafana’s glory day
In his long-awaited autobiography, former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey recalls the road to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 — and the tale of Clive Barker and his superstitions
Our opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations would be against Cameroon on 13 January 1996. As a result, there was little time to celebrate over New Year and we came together on the second at Johannesburg’s Sunnyside Park Hotel. The security was tight in order to control the flow of people in and out of the hotel. We had a games room where we could relax and play pool, darts or table tennis. I was pretty average at all those things. I can’t remember who shone in those games, but I do recall Mark Williams and Mark Fish were the loudest. They were forever talking, but all in good spirit.
We trained at Marks Park, which was close to the hotel. In the beginning we trained twice a day, but only once a day when the first game drew closer. We also had to negotiate our bonuses with Safa [the South African Football Association] for the tournament. Sizwe Motaung, Phil Masinga, John Moeti, Shoes Moshoeu and I, as the captain, were part of the negotiating team, although we never decided on anything without consulting the other players. We dealt with Safa’s president, Stix Morewa.
Coach Clive Barker didn’t want to get involved in the discussions. The negotiations went smoothly, and we were promised around R100,000 per player if we won the Africa Cup of Nations. The final amount would depend on the number of games the player had participated in.
Clive kept the team’s spirits high, combining tough training sessions with time to relax, even allowing the players an afternoon off here and there. A few players, including myself, continued to play golf, which helped to relieve the pressure of competing for a few hours. It was necessary to be able to relax, especially from a mental point of view. To perform to the best of their ability, a player not only needs fresh legs but a fresh mind.
‘Mr Mandela would like to talk with you’
During those golf outings we’d have a good laugh with Mark Williams, who regularly hit the ball in the rough. “Mark, you always opt for a caddy without shoes,” we joked, “because then he can carry your ball under his toes to a better position on the course.” We knew that he moved the ball, but it was fun to play with Mark because he’d crack one joke after the next. And that’s what the golf sessions were about: not winning but being with your teammates and releasing the pressure for a few hours.
Francois Pienaar, who captained the Springboks to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and Hansie Cronje, who led the South African cricket side, came to the hotel for our pre-tournament dinner to wish us well. Pienaar advised, “Neil, try to keep the media at bay, because the more you progress in the tournament the more everybody will want a piece of you, including journalists from other countries, and more so when you’re the captain.” He was right; we were always open to the media and it could become mentally draining to talk to them and give interviews. We had to find a balance and I think we succeeded. On some days we allowed the journalists to come and watch our training sessions, while they were closed to outsiders on other days.
On the evening prior to our first match, Madiba came to the hotel. On this occasion it was not just the players who were present; our families were there too. I took the opportunity to give President Mandela my number 9 jersey. It was such a rewarding moment and I remember that while I was extremely proud to hand him my jersey, he seemed equally pleased to receive it. That’s just the person he was. President Mandela never took anything for granted. He wanted us to do well, not just for the sporting prestige but for the country. The president wanted people of all races to come together and feel proud of South Africa. We, as Bafana Bafana, were a true reflection of the Rainbow Nation as we had players of all colours and backgrounds working together as one towards a common goal. With us it truly was, “One Team, One Nation”.
While holding my jersey in his hands, Mandela said, “This is a good omen. I also have one of Francois’s jerseys. However, the fact that the Springboks won should put no pressure on you guys. Just go out and play.” The president called me regularly during the tournament, usually before a game. We all had cellphones, given to us before the Germany game by Vodacom, one of our sponsors. The president’s private secretary, Zelda la Grange, would get me on the line and say, “Mr Mandela would like to talk with you.” He would say, “Captain, how is the mood in the camp?” and apologise for not visiting us more often, explaining that he had a very tight schedule. Naturally, we all understood. I would generally answer, “President, the mood in the camp is great. We are all ready for our next match.”
Gambling on Lucas Radebe
Whenever President Mandela came to the hotel, I was always struck by how humble he was. He wouldn’t just talk to the coach and the players, but also to the waiters and the security guards. He did not say much himself but listened attentively to the other person. He didn’t care about anyone’s position or status; to him, everyone was equally important. Watching him taught me a huge lesson. If a man of his stature could do that, acknowledging people from all walks of life equally, surely we should all be able to follow his example.
Meanwhile, the day of our first game against Cameroon was getting closer and closer. Clive Barker had selected a strong and competitive squad. A surprise inclusion for many, but not for us, was Lucas Radebe, who hadn’t played a competitive match for about 14 months due to a knee injury. He was on the books of English side Leeds United, who were reluctant to let him go as he wasn’t fully match fit yet. However, the decision about whether he should play rested with Lucas and Bafana team doctor Victor Ramathesele. Clive took a big gamble on him and it paid off big time.
Just before the Africa Cup of Nations kicked off, Nigeria withdrew because their military ruler, General Sani Abacha, was upset that South Africa had criticised the country for hanging nine human-rights and environmental activists, the most well known being Ken Saro-Wiwa. We didn’t pay too much