“It’s been a fantastic year for SA football with our bronze medal at the beginning of the year and now qualification for the next Afcon.”
So said Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos before last Friday’s game against Uganda, where his charges beat the Cranes 2-0 to secure their place in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Morocco.
We couldn’t agree more. Bafana Bafana’s performance has been a pleasant surprise. Their run in this year’s qualifiers reads like a fairy tale. Victories over the continent’s heavyweights such as Morocco, and qualifying top of their group are nothing short of miraculous. Who would have thought?
These players, written off as a “bunch of losers” not that long ago, have shown grit and grace on the field, demonstrating that, against all odds, they can play inspiring football.
And then we have the Danny Jordaan saga — a plot twist worthy of any soap opera. The SA Football Association president, accused of pocketing a cool R1.3m, remains defiantly in his post, casting a shadow over the team’s hard-earned achievements. It’s the kind of scandal that could demoralise any team. But not Bafana Bafana. They have remained committed to the game.
The juxtaposition of the team’s sterling on-field exploits and the sordid off-field affairs presents a stark reminder of the enduring chaos in SA football. Nevertheless, we raise our glasses to Bafana Bafana, hoping their on-field heroics will eventually get the spotlight and support they deserve — without any overshadowing by off-field misadventures.
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