In his latest iafrica.com column, former Bafana Bafana coach Ted Dumitru highlights the current deficiencies plaguing South African football - on the world stage - and tries to offer some solutions.

The performance make-up:
South Africa's many decades of football establishment warranted by an impressive colourful and vibrant following has grown into a sizable social phenomenon. The masses' interest and passion in the game reflects vividly in almost every aspect of the majority of South Africans' life. Evidently, when Bafana Bafana loses against the likes of Norway or Iceland the mood of the football nation becomes sombre. The general feeling is that the "learning curve" should have ended long ago and by now the national team should be enjoying international recognition as a successful nation.

Simplistic solutions:
A quick fix advocates insist that Bafana Bafana can be transformed into a winning entity by just going for cosmetic changes like changing coaches, players and tactics. Most of such recipes are very far from today's realities of competitive game. In fact, they are shockingly contrasting with what the rest of the football world would think and do to achieve success. Before criticising the selection of players and chose play systems, consideration and respect must be given to those factors that would ensure the production of superior grade players capable of playing in modern systems. In his brief experience with the national team, Carlos Alberto Parreira told our administrators to focus on producing high quality young players before Bafana Bafana would be able to reach international standards. How can anyone be so naive to believe that any national coach would be able to build a competitive team strong enough to compete with the world's best when underdeveloped players are struggling to match even the basics of performance? This is exactly the South African scenario...

What skills?
Documented evidence indicates that the overwhelming majority of players in the PSL and Bafana Bafana have severe problems with dribbling efficiency, passing accuracy, scoring ability, sustained pace and consistent work rate, tactical diversity, etc. However, there is an exception; Steven Pienaar. He is the only South African player who displays a complete range of ball and tactical skills which remain competitive even against the best opposition. Closely following Pienaar is Tsepo Masilela. What is essentially important is that both are the product of the five-year development programme at the Sport School of Excellence. The role of a player's complete development is vital. For example, by the age of 14-15 all basic ball skills and tactics must be installed and consolidated. Local fans, officials, analysts and the media should have known by now that learning some of these skills when players are at the professional level IS impossible. The whole football world knows it. We do not.

International experience:
Another universally accepted reality is the one dealing with the express need of young players being exposed to international youth competitions BEFORE MATURATION. This step is essential because after the age of 19-20 learning how to adapt and successfully respond to various football cultures, styles and systems of play and contrasting environments becomes more difficult. Individual's learning process slows down considerably. Nothing or very little can be gained, for instance, at the age of 27 when a player is exposed for the first time to the intensity and aggression of a top European outfit. An estimated 80% of our professional and national team players would go blank when faced with foreign game concepts and styles they never experienced before, especially during their final stage of youth development. Based on this strict performance requirement, one can feel sympathetic to Teko Modise when unjustly criticised for indifferent performance against unknown international oppositions. He can be outstanding but only when equipped with sufficient experience and knowledge about opponents' playing style. Remember, it took a young Cristiano Ronaldo over 70 international matches before stabilising his great talent and performance on the world stage.

  • On page two Ted discussed the sensitive issue of youth development in South Africa

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