It’s widely accepted that if the host nation of the Fifa World Cup fails in the first round the tournament suffers. After Joel Santana’s dismal tenure as Bafana Bafana’s coach SA soccer is pinning its hopes again on Carlos Alberto Parreira. Can he turn Bafana Bafana from a misfiring team into a world-class side in eight months and make the tournament a success?
Mark Batchelor, a former Bafana player and now SuperSport presenter, says although Perreira is among the world’s best coaches he isn’t the ideal coach for Bafana. “He doesn’t bring anything special to the table. Safa wants us to play in the Brazilian style so it went for a Brazilian but we have local coaches who are just as good. There’s nothing wrong with Gavin Hunt, Gordon Igesund or Neil Tovey.”
Is Parreira likely to take Bafana to the second round? “My heart hopes but my head says no. Parreira has to forgive Benni McCarthy and Nasief Morris and welcome them back into the squad. Without them we have no chance.”
Gavin Hunt, manager of PSL champions SuperSport United, says Parreira has seven or eight World Cups under his belt “so he has the experience of high-pressure tournaments. But tactically I don’t think he’s any better than some of our local coaches. How are local coaches expected to get that sort of experience if we don’t start trusting them?”
Hunt believes if Bafana are eliminated in the first round “this World Cup will die a quick death - the vibe and atmosphere will be sucked right out of the tournament.”
The national team should be doing better than it is. “We have the players and the nation will be behind the team. Success will also depend on how comfortable the team is with the style Parreira wants us to play. As long as the change from Santana to Parreira isn’t too radical we should be okay.
“Safa has made its decision so now we have to get behind the team and the coach.”
