Share

SAFA take stock of failures

Johannesburg - The SA Football Association (Safa) said on Friday it was engaged in some thorough introspection after the failure of national teams in competitions this year.

Only the national senior women's team -- Banyana Banyana -- performed well, qualifying for next year's Olympic Games in London.

"After the very disappointing series of events involving some of our national teams in the recent past, we have decided to look deep into the reasons for this malaise in which we find ourselves by posing some tough questions and resolving to do things much differently from the manner in which we have conducted ourselves," Safa said in a statement.

"We agree with our disappointed nation that it is no longer good enough to just qualify for major tournaments as we have done with the All-Africa Games and the African Under-23 Championship in Morocco.

"It is imperative for us to progress to the later rounds of these important competitions. The failure by our national teams to progress in major tournaments has left the nation disappointed and disillusioned."

Bafana failed to qualify for next year's Africa Cup of Nations, despite topping the group for much of the campaign, when it misread a qualifying rule in their final match against Sierra Leone in Nelspruit in October.

Baby Bafana, travelling with a depleted squad, exited the final Olympic qualifier competition in Morocco on Saturday, and Amajita were knocked out in the first round of the Cosafa Under-20 Championships in Botswana on Tuesday.

"We fully understand the disillusionment of soccer lovers. That is why we are re-evaluating the way we perform our functions in order to find a way forward," said Safa president Kirsten Nematandani.

"We have identified various practical interventions which we must intensify and accelerate through our various local football associations and at regional level.

"Part of these interventions include a high-level technical symposium which will bring together all football stakeholders.

"The intention of this symposium is to find solutions to some of our technical problems, looking into players' long-term injuries and getting an update on modern trends in football development," he said in the statement.

Safa has asked the public to send it their written suggestions.

Bafana are set to play four international matches in January with the domestic Premier Soccer League taking a recess for the Afcon in January and early February.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
32% - 1844 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1811 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1100 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 470 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 193 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 261 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE