Everyone has been talking about the Thulani Serero-Gordon Igesund run-in that happened last weekend ahead of our vital World Cup qualifier against Botswana.
For those who have been hiding under a rock… a quick recap to bring you up to speed. Thulani Serero was called up by Gordon Igesund for the vital fixture. Serero shone at training sessions in the run-up to the game, and Gordon, seeing the kind of form that Thulani was in, was going to 'build' the team around Serero for the game. However, Serero informed the medical staff and members of the technical team that he had felt a 'twinge' in his groin muscle, and that it was the same groin muscle that kept him out for most of last season. He basically was saying that he didn't think he was able to play for Bafana. The Bafana technical team were infuriated with the youngster, and accusations flew that he was saving himself for his club, Ajax Amsterdam, who have a vital Champions League group game coming up in the next few days against Barcelona. Serero was sent packing. Disgraced, dishonoured, and publicly humiliated.
Now this is not the first time and it won't be the last time that a talented South African player playing for a big European club chooses club over country. Peter (Du Toit) and myself were talking about it, and he made a very good analogy as to what is happening with our most talented players.
He said that what is happening is basically akin to a young girl and guy dating from a young age and the girl sticking by the guy's side while he still doesn't have very much to his name. Then at 40, when he finally makes it, makes his millions, and becomes successful beyond his wildest dreams, he decides to dump the girl who stayed with him when times were tough and whose support he needed on his way to the top. He casts her aside for a new girl who he thinks is more in line with his new status.
And that is basically the route many of our aspiring footballers that make it are taking these days. Bafana stick with them from the beginning of their journey all the way until they get to the big leagues. The players value and expect support from Bafana the whole way through. And then when Europe comes calling, when a sexy club like Ajax Amsterdam make their needs known, and also make it known that those needs do not include Bafana, those same players, now at the height of their careers, start reassessing the relationship they want to have with the national team.
Now some people will jump on board with that analogy and point out how the same journey begins for young Brazilian players, for German players, for English players and French players, and yet you never see them turn their backs on their countries - you never see them want out of that relationship. They honour call-ups all the time, so this must be a South African problem.
But before pointing fingers solely at our players - let's keep in mind that the Brazilian federation, the German federation and even England do their bit in keeping themselves attractive to their players. They run their federations properly. They have history and honour. They have won World Cups. For a Brazilian, an Argentinian or a German, there is no greater honour than pulling on a national team jersey. It will always top pulling on a club shirt no matter the status of the club.
I'm not sure the Bafana jersey has the same appeal. If anything the baggage that 'Lady Bafana' carries does nothing in terms of keeping players faithful. We're nobodies in Africa, nobodies in the world, our youth teams underperform, our senior team has very little respect, even from our local PSL clubs. Our national team currently has the unofficial reputation of 'Has to host it to play in it'. If we're honest, Bafana doesn't have very much to offer.
Now that alone is not reason to shun her - because for Bafana to win things, to create a legacy, to become a national team that even our biggest stars aspire to - those same stars will have to agree to keep holding her hand. And Bafana and Safa need to make sure that while we climb the world rankings, while we aspire to be number one in Africa, that the experience of playing for the national team is a pleasurable one.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning what Serero did. But what I am saying is that it's a two-way street. Yes, Bafana and this nation have a right to demand more from our best players. But our best players and our nation have a right to demand so much more from Safa and our national association.
Shapa, Clint
Follow Clint on Twitter: @SoccaClint
