Soccer Laduma Blog: What Happens If Gordon Wins?
Week one of Soccer Laduma Readers' Player of the Season is done and dusted, and if you turn to page 19, you will see that now there are just nine players left in each category. Going forward each week, we will cut the person with the least amount of votes. If you have not yet taken part in the voting process, make sure you log on to www.snl24.com/soccerladuma today and cast your vote. Each day of the week you get to cast one vote per category to ensure that the players who you feel are deserving, receive recognition. What has been interesting in the first round of voting is to see how big name players that, just a season or two ago, were massively popular, are now no longer even registering on the supporters' radar. It serves as a harsh reminder to the popular players of today that your football fame can be very fleeting and, for most, is really just a moment. Some will have a longer moment than others, but in the end, when the supporters feel it's time to take their affections elsewhere, they will not even blink an eyelid. Mbulelo Mabizela, Bafana's youngest captain ever and a player who has worn the colours of some of the biggest teams in the country – voted off in Round One. Siyabonga Nomvethe, once the pin-up player of South African football – voted off. Bongani Khumalo – gone. Vuyo Mere – gone. There were some surprise early exits as well with the likes of Daine Klate, Thandani Ntshumayelo and Lerato Chabangu. While new young stars are clearly on the rise judging from the voting, players like Keagan Dolly, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Bonginkosi Ntuli are capturing the imagination of the fans, even though they play for some of the so-called smaller teams. On the coaching front I don't think Zeca Marques or Ernst Middendorp deserved to go, but the fans have spoken and so the cuts have been made in the coaching section as well. All totals are zeroed for round two. Get yourself to the voting polls and make your mark! Talking about making your mark, Gordon Igesund attempts to try make his mark this evening again when Bafana take on one of the best national teams on the planet in the form of World Cup hosts, Brazil. If my memory serve me correctly, our record against Brazil certainly has not been embarrassing over the years. In 1996, Brazil visited South Africa to play Bafana for the first time and Brazil found themselves 2-0 down at halftime. It was only the heroics of the great Rivaldo and Bebeto that eventually saw them beat us 3-2, with the winner coming in the dying minutes of the game. In 1997 they again were in South Africa and again we were beaten by a single goal with the result 2-1 in their favour. In the 2009 Confederations Cup, Brazil again needed a very late, wonder free kick from Dani Alves to beat us 1-0. In 2012, Igesund took Bafana to Brazil where a pasting for Bafana was predicted, yet Brazil could only manage a 1-0 victory, with their winner coming from Hulk late in the game. Even their own fans seemed more impressed by Bafana than they were with Brazil. Let's also not forget that a young Bafana in the 2000 Olympics gave Brazil a hammering when a golden generation of South African players beat a golden generation of young Brazilian players 3-1. So South Africa, though billed as heavy underdogs going into this game, they certainly seem to have something in their armoury that challenges Brazil. But here is the rub. With talk that Gordon Igesund's fate may already be sealed and that it's just a matter of time before his position as Bafana coach is vacated due to disappointing results and underperforming, it is going to make life very difficult for SAFA if Igesund beats Brazil. He already has a famous victory over world conquerors, Spain. Add a win over Brazil to his CV and SAFA may have a little problem on their hands justifying why long-term Gordon is not the right man for the job. If, in fact, a pre-contract has been agreed with Bafana's next coach, one has to wonder just who SAFA will be routing for tonight. Shapa, Clint
