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Johannesburg - Amid an animated play devised especially for the occasion, sponsors Adidas on Wednesday introduced the new Bafana Bafana World Cup strip on a Market Theatre stage renowned for South African drama of the highest order.
And with the entire nation in a state of nervy crisis over the national soccer team's eight defeats from their last nine matches before Saturday's friendly international against Japan in Port Elizabeth which highlights Carlos Albert Parreira's return as coach, drama was totally appropriate for the occasion.
In the best tradition of inventive sponsors, it was suggested the new jerseys - not much different to the casual observer from the existing one's, although apparently a little sleeker, more comfortable, sweat-absorbant and bearing a miniature South African flag - would be the missing link in turning round Bafana's fortunes.
Saturday, therefore, might be viewed as the D-day for judgement in this respect, with Bafana wearing their World Cup strip for the first time at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
And Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena, who took time off from training to be present at the launch, wholeheartedly endorsed the new jersey, the 16th of its kind in the last 11 years and one that is certainly better suited than the three-quarter sleeve version that had been utilised recently.
In all, Adidas revealed they had given the Bafana players and technical staff 21 alternatives for the new strip - and the one finally selected is deemed to be imbued with a magical effect.
The sponsors also launched an initiative to gear South Africa's 48 million citizens to stand wholeheartedly behind Bafana's World Cup adventure as the first African hosts of the event - manufacturing a giant-sized jersey almost the size of a soccer pitch on which as many of the country's population as possible are asked to sign their allegiance along with that of the players.
And certainly the old maxim "if you can't do the job at least look the part" would seem to apply here.
And with the entire nation in a state of nervy crisis over the national soccer team's eight defeats from their last nine matches before Saturday's friendly international against Japan in Port Elizabeth which highlights Carlos Albert Parreira's return as coach, drama was totally appropriate for the occasion.
In the best tradition of inventive sponsors, it was suggested the new jerseys - not much different to the casual observer from the existing one's, although apparently a little sleeker, more comfortable, sweat-absorbant and bearing a miniature South African flag - would be the missing link in turning round Bafana's fortunes.
Saturday, therefore, might be viewed as the D-day for judgement in this respect, with Bafana wearing their World Cup strip for the first time at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
And Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena, who took time off from training to be present at the launch, wholeheartedly endorsed the new jersey, the 16th of its kind in the last 11 years and one that is certainly better suited than the three-quarter sleeve version that had been utilised recently.
In all, Adidas revealed they had given the Bafana players and technical staff 21 alternatives for the new strip - and the one finally selected is deemed to be imbued with a magical effect.
The sponsors also launched an initiative to gear South Africa's 48 million citizens to stand wholeheartedly behind Bafana's World Cup adventure as the first African hosts of the event - manufacturing a giant-sized jersey almost the size of a soccer pitch on which as many of the country's population as possible are asked to sign their allegiance along with that of the players.
And certainly the old maxim "if you can't do the job at least look the part" would seem to apply here.
