Tournament News
Bafana hard at work
2010-03-12 12:01
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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has included another practice match to the team's training camp in Brazil.
South Africa will face local club Boavista on March 15 at the Granja Comary, in Rio de Janeiro, where Bafana are holding camp in preparation for the FIFA Soccer World Cup. This will be the fifth match on the national team’s programme - others are against Volta Redonda, Fluminense, Cruzeiro and Botafogo. They will also face Paraguay in a friendly international in Paraguay.
"We need as many matches as possible during our time here because these will help us to make the players understand what we want from them," Parreira said.
"Playing matches will be key for the team because when we go back home we will have gained valuable experience."
Meanwhile, the players have been hard at work, training twice a day under the watchful eye of physical trainer Francisco Gonzalez.
"For the first week we have to build basic resistance. This is where we can detect how much we need to do with the players," Gonzalez said.
"We do gym, field exercises and jogging. In the second week we will concentrate on speed and at all times we will increase the tempo of training.
"We have wonderful facilities here where everything is within walking distance, so we don’t waste time driving around.
"And I can tell you it’s tough, but the players are motivated as they are looking at the bigger picture - the World Cup tournament.
"We expect that, at the end of the camp, the players will be at a higher level of fitness than when they came here, and also have some experience in taking punishment because the World Cup is a very strenuous competition." The players have been feeling the pinch, but striker Lebohang Mokoena believes it’s a worthwhile exercise.
"It was a good decision to bring us here because the atmosphere is different and we are able to focus and have peace of mind," Mokoena said.
"Training has been tough, especially in that we come from a very competitive short season in the PSL, but as professionals we have to get on with our business."
Goalkeeper Emille Baron said the players had taken some time to settle in at the camp, but were ready to put in the hard yards.
"So far it has been hard, especially with all the travelling. Only now we are trying to adjust, and the five-hour time difference is not helping, but we will be fine," said Baron.
"For me it’s an honour to be called up for this camp and I always strive to do my best for my country.
"At the moment all the players know that, at the end of the day, it’s up to each and every one of us to work hard and show we deserve to be in the final squad."