Reasons Why Dunga and Maradona Failed at the 2010 World Cup

Mmasekepe Matsebane

They remain two of the best captains international football has ever seen. 

Astounding leaders, great professionals, driving forces, immensely gifted and above all, they delivered the World Cup trophy to South America twice. One is the Argentinean great, the man who set the 1986 World Cup alight, transferred to two different teams with record transfer fees at the time and he is regarded as the best footballer of all time, Diego Armando Maradona.

Former Brazil Coach Dunga.

The other is a Brazilian, a perfect explanation of what a defensive midfielder should be, revered for his no nonsense approach, a leader, a complete player, the man who guided Brazil to the 1994 World Cup victory, he is Carlos Dunga.

Both former players, now managers have so many similarities in the beautiful game that one might think they were in a secret competition. One more similarity that extends for both of them is that their coaches, Carlos Alberto Perreira of Brazil, and Carlos Bilardo who was in the dugout for Argentina, gave the two men freedom to do whatever they wanted on the field as the two highly experienced and respected mentors knew that it was the only way to get the best out of this legends.

It is public knowledge that during Dunga’s time with the national team, more especially in 1994, he was the main man, the player who was the centre of the Selecao’s game plan. Yes, Brazil had stars like Romario and Bebeto, but Dunga was the face of their campaign.

Fromer Argentina coach Maradona.

It was the same for Maradona. Great players like Jorge Valdano made the team, but the spotlight was always on Maradona, a man who had the ability to make the ball talk to him. He was a menace on any day, and on his day, he was just magical.

Maradona during the 1986 WC against Italy.

With the two players’ success very well documented, it is useless for one to continue with this, but now for the crux of the matter, their disgraced tenures as coaches of the Selecao and the Albiceleste. 

As if it was indeed a competition, the two men were appointed to guide their national teams at the 2010 Fifa World Cup organized in South Africa and their mandate was simple, bring the cup home. With their managerial experience a talking point, it was believed that the two men knew how the World Cup could be won and what it really takes for a team to win it, but that was a far ask for the young inexperienced managers.

Apart from lacking the experience, it can also be argued that the players had not fully evolved from being players into coaches, but that was the risk that Argentina and Brazil were willing to take, it was their favourite sons after all.  

Now for the reasons why they failed dismally.

Dunga controlled the pace of the game.

Starting first with Argentina. Going into the World Cup always excite the Argentineans. The World Cup coincided with the rise to stardom for Lionel Messi, the young man thought to be Maradona’s successor, the man whom Maradona has also tipped to eclipse him. There were also great players, but because Maradona centered the game on himself and Messi, he \overlooked the players that were going to hand him the biggest trophy in the world as a manager. Instead, Maradona picked players like Juan Sebastian Veron, Messi and Javier Mascherano. Yes, Messi is great, Veron still had something to offer to the Albiceleste, but he was losing his touch bit by bit, and Mascherano has not fully developed to lead such a mission.

There was a man, or rather men who would make Messi a star any day, players who could have ensured that Maradona’s praises were sang once more. 

Juan Roman Requelme and Javier Saviola.

Unlucky Argentina great Juan Roman Requelme.

The man who could have won the World Cup for Argentina is none other than Requelme, but Maradona could not risk being overshadowed by the former Villareal great. Maradona wanted the triumph in South Africa to be his and Messi’s, and the thought of Requelme being a star in the team, a driving force did not sit well with the former great. He decided to leave out Requelme and Saviola citing discipline problems as if him, Teves and Veron were saints. Requelme was well at his prime, he could have easily complemented Messi and the young Barcelona mentor stood to gain a wealth of football knowledge from the master, but Maradona could not stand it, and that cost him his glittering coaching job and the World Cup as well.

For Dunga, the reasons are simple, no wonder the assertion that both men must have been in a competition.

Dunga left the only man who could have made him one of the few coaches after Franz Backenbauer to win the World Cup as a player and a coach. 

Ronaldinho. 

Dubbed the one man show, the phenomenon, Ronaldinho was well in his prime and he was well placed to deliver the World Cup for Brazil just like Dunga and Romario did in 1994, Ronaldo and Rivaldo did in 2002 and this was Ronaldinho and Kaka’s time, but Dunga could not have half of that. He trusted players like Elano and Ramirez at the expense of the best player even known to man, the man who announced his rise to the big stage with one of the best free kicks ever scored at the World Cup against England. He had done it all, he had the pichichi, the Ballon d’Or, the Uefa Champions League medal, the World Cup medal, he had done it all,  all that was missing was his own World Cup medal.

 Ronaldinho dishes out one of his pinpoint passes.

The 2002 medals were dully delivered by Rivaldo and Ronaldo, with the help of iconic manager Luiz Phillipe Scolari. Ronaldinho has his own mission as well, too deliver the biggest medals of them all so his name can be called in the same sentence with that of Pele, Jairzinho, Dunga, Romario, Rivaldo, Cafu, and Ronaldo, but Dunga could not let him and in the process, he could not let Brazil celebrate yet another World Cup victory.

Requelme and Ronaldinho, the two men who could have given more weight to the names Dunga and Maradona, but the love for the spotlight by the two coaches proved to be costly. They were both fired after the World Cup, they are yet to enjoy coaching careers and right now no one wants to hear their opinions regarding the national team. They too know why they failed dismally, the problem is that they will never be men enough to admit it.

mmmasekepe@yahoo.com

Why Bafana Bafana Will Go Through To The Semifinals

Mmasekepe Matsebane

Before you get bombarded with the idea that Bafana Bafana will not make it to the semifinals by some prophets of doom, allow me to allay all the fears that the negative media might inflict on your mind.

Bafana Bafana to beat Mali.

Gordon Igesund can now go into his garden, relax on his rocking chair and have that cigar, and let the moment sink in because he has accomplished his mission. The football mastermind was given a performance based contract when he took over Bafana and his mandate was to take the country to the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations and as things stand, the former Moroka Swallows mentor has kept his promise.

The reason why Bafana Bafana will beat Mali is a simple one. Unlike Morocco and Angola who believe in the European way of playing football, Mali plays their football just for playing football. There is no formidable structure that one can say Mali applies during games, and they don’t have big name players that can scare Bafana.

Bafana star Thulani Serero's pace should give Mali problems.

Sure, they have former Barcelona great Seydou Keita and Paris St Germain workhorse Momo Sissoko, but if you look at the rest of the team, it looks like it’s just about it. Even Sissoko, an exceptional combative midfielder during his days at Juventus and Liverpool looks to have lost his touch as he can’t play over 65 minutes.

In all the games that the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up have played in, they have never been convincing and they never controlled the game, they can’t make more than five passes, and if they do, it is when Keita takes the ball, and then gets it back. Brings me to another point that the Eagles of Mali have centered their game and almost all their attacks on the China based Keita. 

Bafana Bafana are known to play quick passing football with at least two or three quick strikers, pacey wingers and the central midfield duo of Dean Furman and May Mahlangu who can play sublime passes between spaces. 

Dean Furman's decisive passing will be key against Mali on Saturday.

If Bafana can hold their grown against a Morocco side that plays quick counter attacking football, they sure can deal with a snail paced Mali team. This will in turn be Bafana's secret weapon. Quick players like Thuso Phala, Thulani Serero, Tokelo Rantie and Lehlohonolo Majoro should be used strategically used to open up the slow Mali team and experienced Katlego Mphela and Bernard Parker should repay Igesund's faith with a goal or two each.

There are only two problem areas that might see us not winning the game. Allowing Keita space in the midfield, which I doubt will happen as Furman will bring his A game against the Mali living legend. Another issue is the height of the Mali players. How they effectively use their height might be a problem for Bongani Khumalo’s defense considering that the defense failed to deal with tall Morocco players in corner and cross situations and the goals that Morocco scored are from those situations. 

If Gordon can have a word with both Khumalo and Sangweni on how to beat the Mali strikers in the air, I don’t see reasons why they should spend hours planning as there is nothing special that Mali will bring on Saturday.

Top striker Katlego Mphela will want to put his disappointing Africa Cup of Nations back on track with a goal against Mali.

What the team needs now is the amplified, unwavering support. The Semifinal berth is all but ours, and if things stand the way they are, I don’t see why the class of 96 cannot be emulated. Bafana will certainly get past the quarterfinal stages, but as clichéd as it might sound, the team should take it one game at time. We will cross the semifinal river when we get there.

Bafana Kaofela.

mmmasekepe@yahoo.com

Fickle South African Fans

Mmasekepe Matsebane

Last night when Bafana were trailing with only nine minutes into the game, people were already pushing panic buttons, questioning Gordon Igesund’s team selection and why May Mahlangu remained in the team for the second half.

Igesund did not panic, he understood Morocco’s game plan and he knew very well that they were gonna go for an early goal as for them it was all or nothing. His team kept its shape, just a couple of errors from Captain Bongani Khumalo almost cost us, but let me not single out a player as he cleaned those mistakes with some outstanding tackles.

Back to the fickle fans before I digress any further. When the team went to the half time break, even analysts were suggesting that Mahlangu should make way for Letsholonyane (I don’t think I should go into what happened when Letsholonyane came on).

It was always a big ask to play with only two central midfileders against a team that always had nine players in their own half whenever Bafana was in possession, and the outcomes were the same all the time. Either Dean Furman or Mahlangu were always dispossessed, or Furman made a back pass, the reason is simple, two players can never pass five players. Our strikers were further afield, not even caring about the extra work that our two competent midfielders were put to the sword.

The second half came, May Mahlangu showed his brilliance, a world beating body shake move, three Morocco defenders went with him, plays a pass, goes into space, he receives a pass back, one turn, click click, Bang, it’s in. Townships erupt into uncontrollable joy, it’s like the team took the lead. The same prophets of doom are now reminding people that Mahlangu should remain in the field, he is by the way, the 2011 Swedish Player of the Year. Yeah, we know, but you wanted him out.

And the fans? Should I go into that? Oh well, they also went into a frenzy, they were singing Mahlangu’s praises, I even heard one say Gordon is the best ever, but apparently, he was stupid some 35 minutes ago. Yes, I also think Igesund is used to that by now. Even Adre Villas Boas of Tottenham Hotspurs said that you win a game today, you are a hero, tomorrow you lose and you are called a donkey, so don’t worry Gordon, your five titles with five different teams proves you are good, and now you guiding the team to a quarterfinal in over ten years deserves a standing ovation, now don’t doubt yourself.

Minutes go, passes made, passes missed, then Khumalo once again fails to clear danger in the centre of defence, Morocco scores, Bafana is hated. The players, called heroes just 15 minutes ago, are now called buffoons who play with the nation’s emotions. Gordon keeps the hope, and tells the players to keep the pressure, to go for that goal. He was right, like he always is. Up stepped one clinical striker-cum-defender (If that’s the word). Siyabonga Sangweni. The man who is to Bafana, what Branislav Ivanovic is to Chelsea. A modern day Taribo West, a beast, a star. He sees it coming, great first touch, and a La Liga turn and then he picks his spot and we all know happened after that. 

I would assume that the noise was almost the same as the one in 1996 when Bafana won the Afcon, 2010 when Simphiwe Tshabalala buried that scotcher. 

Hey, it was the same fans who wanted Mahlangu out, who wanted Gordon gone who are now praising the team as heroes and warriors. Right as they are, their fickle behavior is a concern to me. Ask them if we trailed two times yesterday, they probably don’t remember

Bafana fans need to learn from Bloemfontein Celtic supporters. When their team is in danger, when they are one or two goal down, the fans never lose hope, they continue singing, and they spur the team on. Ask Orlando Pirates, they know all about that. Five minutes with the game almost done, scoreline read Cetic 1-3 Pirates and do you still remember the fans led by Botha? Side by side they were going, clapping hands, bum jive, it was “Siwele wele siwele, Siwele-wele, Siwelele ma, siwelewele ma, Siwelele ma..Siwelele wele sa Masele”, and that was what the players needed. It was 3-3 at fulltime. 

Now, if Bafana fans had continued rallying behind the team, vuvuzelas in full blast, Shosholoza amplified, we could have given Morocco a battering.

Let’s stop loving the boys when they do well and crush them when they hit a rough patch, its football, you lose some, you win some, and that does not make you terrible overnight. 

Am I a fickle fan? Maybe I am, but I try to be patriotic. I learnt something yesterday. Maybe Bafana is not really loved, people pretend to love it when it’s doing well. I say the boys are heroes, Gordon is a star coach. If I was president, I was going to make him Major general (If there is such a rank) and as for Khune and Sangweni, they were going to be the President’s men. 

Bafana Kaofela.

mmmasekepe@yahoo.com

This is how Bafana Bafana can be saved

Mmasekepe Matsebane

I hear people asking, how do we fix Bafana Bafana? Well I have a solution, not that SAFA head honchos will listen to me anyway, but if you see them, tell them Mmasekepe Matsebane can fix their problems.

Here is how it goes. We all know already that Bafana is a lost cause. As things stand, we have nothing to lose, now I don’t know what we are trying to defend. To fix the issue from root bottom, here is what I suggest.

SAFA should first start by restructuring itself, or as the citizens of this country, I think we should demand such. A head of Safa should be an ex player who knows all about the football struggles, a great administrator who knows how to make a team win. Someone in the mould of Lucas Radebe, a man par excellence. We all can see that politicizing football and putting people there as a result of political reasons doesn’t do our country any good.

I don’t think where the coach comes from is much of a problem, but the team manager should definitely be an ex Bafana player and I personally think John Shoes Moshoeu or Eric Tinkler fits the bill. Having explayers who have always given great service to this country can definitely change our fortunes.

Now to the real issue, the current Bafana squad. I think there is no denying the fact that the current squad is lukewarm and doesn’t offer much to this country of champions. Yes, you heard me right. The Springboks are champions, the Proteas are champions, Caster Semenya is a champion, Chad Le Clos is a champion, Bafana Bafana…an embarrassment. 

Since we all can see that the current team and Gordon Igesund are not offering much, and then I say we have a total overhaul of the national team. Remove Igesund from the post, get rid of all the players and start afresh. Promote about half of the Unider 20 squad that participated in the 2009 African Youth Championships. Thulani Hlatshwayo, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Daylon Claasen, Andile Jali, Kamohelo Mokotjo, George Maluleka, Thulani Serero, Kermit Erasmus are the players that should be inducted into the national team. 

Add that with May Mahlangu, Ronwen Williams, Tokelo Rantie, Itumeleng Khune, Anele Ngcongca, Dean Furman, George Lebese, Siyanda Xulu, Lucky Baloyi, Dino Ndlovu, Philani Khwela, Ayanda Patosi and have them form a brand new squad. No chopping and changing have these youngsters play together for a considerable number of years, maybe two and a half, even if they lose. I mean we are all used to that already. I believe these players can change the fortunes of this proud country.

Instead of going to Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns, I think academies like Transnet Sports School of Excellence and Africa Sports Academy should be given more attention as they might give us the best young talent from all across the country.

Like I said before, Bafana is a lost cause and we certainly have nothing to lose, but we can still save the situation. I have more on this, and I am worried this page won’t be enough, but I can sure explain this vision better if you give me your time. I call it Vision 2018, the team that can reach the semifinals of the 2018 Russia World Cup and win two Africa Cup of Nations crown. I think we have great players in South Africa, we just need to nurture them and use them properly. I think I might have just saved Bafana Bafana, but hey, wait, who am I to make this kind of suggestions? 

Just go on and feel sorry for them, you don’t listen to anyone anyway.

mmmasekepe@yahoo.com