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Bafana coach optimistic

Port Elizabeth - Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Parreira is optimistic about his team’s success against Japan. Bafana Bafana take on the Asians in a friendly international match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Addressing a huge media contingent at the team hotel in Port Elizabeth on Thursday, Parreira said he believes his boys are up to it.

“We have to play our normal game against Japan, both sides have contrasting styles but on the day it’s the team that will impose itself on the other that will win the match.

We need to face this game with renewed confidence, we have to give our best and hope for a good start with a victory,” said Parreira.

Parreira, flanked by captain Aaron Mokoena and midfielder Elrio van Heerden – one of the trio of players in the national team who hail from Port Elizabeth. The others are Daine Klate and Kermit Erasmus.

“It’s really nice to be back home, and even better to be playing this match here in my hometown. I hope to get a chance on Saturday to also show what I can do in front of my home fans,” said Van Heerden.

Bafana Bafana have lost eight of the last nine matches, but Mokoena said that is all in the past.

“There is new a spirit in the camp and that spirit is high, we are ready to put our bodies on the line – it’s not going to be easy playing against Japan who have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and have been doing well in their recent matches.

But what happened in the past is behind us, we have to focus on the future and be ready for the World Cup,” said Mokoena.

Speaking about his return to the South African team after two training sessions, the coach was quick to point out that he has seen some differences.

“The difference this week is that the young players are more mature, after the FIFA Confederations Cup they are more confident. It shows that the secret at the Confed Cup was being together for a long time. Me and Joel Santana are not too different, I just hope the players do not struggle to adapt to my ways of doing things – but our strength has always been technique, we cannot play physically because we don’t understand that style,” said Parreira.

Parreira also stressed that beating Japan would do wonders to lift the confidence in the camp.

“It will be a big plus if we can beat Japan who have shown professionalism by coming here early to get a feel of conditions they are likely to face in the World Cup next June.

But the first hurdle for us is to bring back the confidence and self belief; and to do that we need to start winning matches again and building up a winning mentality starting against Japan,” said the coach.
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