We have often been told that this is the South African way of play, this is how we are supposed to play. But the question is, what is the South African away? Do we really know our identity as the country?
There is no uniformity in our national teams on how we play or as far as our identity is concerned. When you watch Bafana Bafana teams, U/17, U/20 and U/23 and U/23 play, there is no uniformity.
This is something that the late Coach Ted Dumitru tried addressing for years, but with no success. The best thing we do as a country is that we hire German coaches with a hope to bring their influence to the South African football, how football should be played. But still they have failed dismally because there is no cohesion.
It is like trying to mix water and oil!
At one stage as a nation, it seemed as if we had an identity until we hired too many European coaches who came and turned our players into robots.
Yes, robots!
We no longer have exciting players who play week-in-week-and-out in the PSL like in the past. If you ask TOUCHLINE what is the South African way of play, my answer is simple, leave the entertainment to entertainers.
Those who follow the Diski Challenge will agree with TOUCHLINE that this is our away of play, with the youngsters expressing their God given talent and their passion for this beautiful game. They have no fear in their mind when they play. This is because they are coached by former soccer greats who understand freedom of expression in the field of play.
The problem with South Africa is that our beautiful game has been commercialised at the expenses of our talent. It has been worse now because there are no spectators at the stadium and teams just play for three points and to ‘HELL’ with freedom of expression. Sadly, the only time the players entertain us is through their celebrations after they score the goals.
Even Royal AM owner, Shauwn Mkhize overshadowed players on the stand with her celebrations with each goal her club scored against Kaizer Chiefs. To make it worse, even the cameras were focusing on her more than the players on the field of play. Can we really blame those cameramen and women since there was nothing to be offered in the field of play as far as entertainment in the field in the form of ‘shibobos’, ‘show me your number’, ‘tsamaya’ and the list is endless.
In the past there would be no time to dance on the stand as the players would be dancing with the ball in their feet muchto the appreciation of those on the stand. When the youngsters expressed their God given talent, they have been told this not a “mickey mouse show”. No more “palama bolo” like it used to be the case in the past.
Even the development coaches discourage these youngsters to express themselves because winning ‘at all cost mentality’ has polluted their thinking capacity for the love of money. We are a nation without identity or roots. There is no more flair in our football because good players are either on the bench or on the stands.
If we don’t bring flair back in our football Ma Mkhize will party all the way in the VIP area and we will dance to her tune!
