Tournament News

Bafana 'lack killer instinct'

2010-03-19 09:17
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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana need to build up their self-confidence and improve their finishing ahead of the World Cup, Carlos Alberto Parreira revealed on Thursday.

Parreira made the comments at the end of a goalless draw against Brazilian outfit Cruzeiro in a friendly match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte.

The game was unexciting but allowed Parreira to assess the progress of his squad.

The coach blamed the poor attacking performance of the World Cup hosts on an excessive number of foreign strikers in the Premier Soccer League.

"This is the great challenge for South Africa. We do not have great strikers," Parreira told SAPA.

"There are many foreigners in football there, it's five per team, and that makes it harder to train players, because (foreign) footballers are always signed to play up front."

The friendly match against one of Brazil's leading club sides also shows that the squad's self-confidence needs to be improved upon ahead of the world's greatest sporting event.

"It is evident that those who have never played at a stadium like the Mineirao, against a team of Cruzeiro's level, feel intimidated," he continued.

"Young players feel the weight of responsibility. That is why we have to improve confidence to keep the ball longer, get fewer passes wrong, but we will attain that by playing more matches and keeping the team together."

He added that his goal was to get South Africa through Group A, which they share with Mexico, Uruguay and France, and into the round of 16. However, he admitted that this was a modest goal for home fans, and even for South African authorities.

"For me it's a privilege to command the host of the World Cup, but at the same time there is very great pressure on me. The president, the minister, everyone says they want us to reach the final. Getting to the round of 16 is not enough for them," Parreira added.

 

Your Comments

YoB3/20/2010 10:22 PM
I think South African soccer team does'nt have a history of winning big games and there's is a huge chance that they will be caught by that, but at the same time they do have a massive chance to challenge the big guys. look at the groups that we have, France are not in a great shape and the rest of the teams can help us build the momentum, confidence, belief that we can progress to the next stages of the tournament. its tough but unfortunately the first 90min is going to be a decider if we can build or bust.....
money3/19/2010 2:52 PM
it is way to late to complain of what we don't have, we should just make sure we sellect the best possible squad and work with them. maybe keep them away from the south african media as well because they don't know how to motivate or show solidarity!
thabo3/19/2010 2:34 PM
Lacking killer instict Time to call in the criminals and blue light brigade.
nicodemus3/19/2010 2:25 PM
Why is it that something so simple & straightforward just cant be understood, even by the supposed leaders of our country? Bafana rated 86 in the soccer world, could only draw against Namibia rated116 in the soccer world. Now, would the supposed leaders please tell me just how will Bafana suddenly, in 80 days, jump 70 places in the soccer world listings to qualify to enter the top 16??? And some are even stupid enough to talk about the FINAL!!! However, I bet that Bafana will be feted & treated like heroes after failing to get thru the 1st round. Once again, they will be given something for nothing, instead of being fired, the whole lot of them, so that a fresh start can be made with new genuine talent in readiness for the NEXT SWC.
carrie3/19/2010 2:17 PM
@Garfield-- we are definately not hosting the games because of Bafana, we're hosting the games because we want the world's greatest game played on African soil at least for once in our lifetime! (and of course, for FIFA and SAFA to line their pockets!) I also don't think Safricans are against Bafana, the reality is that they are just ill-equipped to make it past the first round.
Blacque Inc.3/19/2010 1:26 PM
Sort of stating the obvious aren't you Carlos ? Off course we do not have good strikers - if we did , the PSL would not have so many foreign strikers - did you really need four years to come to this conclusion ? You are as much an idiot as those clowns at SAFA . The issue is a South African one that impacts not only on soccer but most things South African - we are a lazy money-grabbing nation with a massive chip on our shoulder and we have an attitude of entitlement . Fifa may have condescended to SA hosting the SWC but that does not mean that every other country is just going to sit back and let us win the damn thing while we twiddle our thumbs and the fat cats at SAFA just get fatter . We think the world owes us a huge debt and we try to get by with doing only the bare minimum at all times , always assuming that the rest of the world will bail us out of whatever predicament we find ourselves in and excuse our failings . We are used to being second best and quite content to let the world pass us by .( No offence intended to our Rugby and Cricket teams who do a sterling job most of the time ) . We had four years to address this issue and only now is it all hands on deck - 3 months before kick-off - typical third world mentality .
Garfield 3/19/2010 1:00 PM
Guys, How about we start thinking like South African's? and stop taking the word of a coach that is not even from here, If we are against our own team why are we hosting this world cup? I bet most of the guys that commented are Bulls supporters who ran away from suppoting the Lions typical bunch of loosers.
Innocent3/19/2010 12:54 PM
Its paining us as South Africans, personally i feel we are not going to reach anywhere unless south Africa change the quota of foreign players in our leauges. I know that everyone expects that South Africa will go to the last 16. Lets all analyze the boys.
Len van Heerden3/19/2010 12:41 PM
@Piet Verdriet There is more whities in the Bafana team than there are African (South African born) players in both cricket and rugby national team. also, care to mention the white players you want to see in the team and why, other than your racist brainless prejudice?
Themba3/19/2010 12:37 PM
@ChrisB A killer instinct infront of goal has nothing to do with confidence. If you do not have that ability, you can call the pope and it will not help. In any case, what is the point of bringing in people who have no concept of soccer? Surely, you understand the difference between the sports. If motivation was all that, then we could just use under 14 players and make them talk to Smith and Matfield. It is ludicrous to get non-soccer players to help with scoring goals. Furthermore, administrators cannot interfere with the training of the team. that is the responsibility of the coach and if the coach asks for that sort of assistance, then the administrators can come in. We bitch and moan about the involvement of administrators in sports and then exactly the same when they leave it to the coaching team. Sometimes one needs to admit ignorance and offer little advice in case they are shown to be ignorant. @GM Ignorance is not a good thing, my friend. Agree with those who say Parreira knew the problem when he accepted the huge offer. No excuses. You had a plan, use it
Mandla Mondlane3/19/2010 12:36 PM
We gonna face the best teams in world cup but our on friendly games,we playing the weak teams,how would we know if we ready take the likes of Brazil and Spain I think the prep wasn't well planned for Bafana Bafana Regards Mandla Mondlane KaMdladla
Steve3/19/2010 12:17 PM
Absolute cr@p. Waht Bafanas lack is talent and brains
Piet Verdriet3/19/2010 11:49 AM
What a disaster – Bafana can’t even beat a second string club side. I don’t think they will survive the first round. What a let down for SA sport. Maybe not enough whitties in the team? Killer instinct? Maybe Parreira must go and look for talent in the jails – more than enough killers there. Don’t know about instinct though!!!!!!!
ChrisB3/19/2010 11:13 AM
If they are lacking "Killer Instinct" and all that, why doesn't our useless Ministry of Sports make a plan and invite some successful sports(wo)men to give them some pep talks, and try to instill a winning culture. How about John Smit & Victor Matfield. How about Oscar the Bladerunner. How about the players of the Bafana of old? How about Habana? I refuse to believe that our players are completly useless, and I reckon it's a mental problem that must be addressed. Who better to address it than the heroes of South African Sports? But then again, our administrators are bunch of fat cats who are there only to get 5* Travel etc for free, my expectations are low that they will do anything but sabotage our Team again. Don't believe me, see SA Athletics management at the Olympics, Caster Semenya saga, Beast's Work permit, Quotas in Rugby & refusal to grant passports to last RWC. Our sporting heroes win DESPITE the administration, who should all be fired and replaced with the sporting heroes of days past, then we would see real success coming our way, black and white, in all sporting codes.
GM3/19/2010 11:07 AM
"Everyone says they want us to reach the final. Getting to the round of 16 is not enough for them." Well, if that is true then these guys are smoking something! Firstly, we have a bunch of talentless nobodies playing for us (Steven Pienaar excepted). Secondly, despite being nobodies they have big egos. Thirdly, they obviously do not listen to the coach or implement his game plan (look at our history where we have had excellent, internationally renowned coaches who failed with us but had success with much humbler and more professional teams) Finally, if we had played in any qualifiers we would not even be taking part in this tournament. Qualifying as the host nation is the only way we were ever going to get in! If we do get to the last 16 then Interpol need to be called in to investigate match-fixing.
thabo3/19/2010 10:50 AM
Call in uncle Sam maybe Julius no just blame apartheid . This problem started years ago and 2 months before the SWC eveybody wakes up .
El Africano3/19/2010 10:45 AM
You've got 84 days, make use of them......Good luck.
Medula3/19/2010 10:44 AM
What second round semi final is the key you have the budget deliver the goods now
El Africano3/19/2010 10:42 AM
Oh dear!!!!!!! I cant believe that this story is emerging again. Foreign players my foot!! Carlos is definetelu trying to make use of ill feelings south africans in general have towards other africans to justify his unproductive spell at the helm of the hosting country. The premier league has a team called arsenal that features more than 5 non-english players, what has this done to the english national team? Capello has ccome with a better approach and made them a winning side. Go ask Capello on how to coach you....
fraud3/19/2010 10:39 AM
Perriera u knew all of this when u first coached the team. It's time for solutions now, not excuses.
me23/19/2010 10:33 AM
Stop making excuses mr.Parreira , Bafana just don't have the skill to beat the best in this coming world cup...rather let your players watch videos of the premier league, spanish league and italian league matches, maybe they will get some valuable tips on how the game is played...We in SA want so much to get behind Bafana , but its very hard when the team cannot even score goals..we need qaulity strikers like a Bartlett , Phil Masinga, Doc Khumalo etc. to take our soccer forward..Where is the root of the problem....?
carrie3/19/2010 10:32 AM
Bafana lacks everything! good looks! game plan! style! good looks! good coach! real strikers! entertainment! (even clowns are entertaining) that's why I follow the English premier league.
Thabo Seleke3/19/2010 10:27 AM
And now SAFA is throwing money in Brazil for Bafana to reach the finals, Ask Motsepe about throwing money at a problem, Success in the WC is based not only on the coach but rather the whole association, that is how Supersport got it right and won a treble. The other teams' focus is not on the field but coffers and that should come after results
carrie3/19/2010 10:25 AM
Bafana lacks everything! good looks! game plan! style! good looks! good coach! real strikers! entertainment! (even clowns are entertaining) that's why I follow the English premier league.
Thabo Seleke3/19/2010 10:23 AM
1st excuse! More will come after the World Cup, I know SAFA by now! At the moment all they are worried about is getting the nation to be behind BAFA to safeguard profits from the event and afterwards the poor performance will be explained after, when all the profits have been made! I dont mean to be a prophet of doom but I follow soccer and have come accustomed to SAFA. they knew about the World Cup in 2004. What makes me think this late preparation will suprise, Sorry but Im yet to be proven wrong, They only secured a BAFANA camp in the last minute! The issue is power mongers and that plays out in the field and the PSL.
zain3/19/2010 10:19 AM
I agree - our boys aren't great strikers - we need to get SA strikers who are based in other leagues at training so that by June they'll be used to the playing styl.
Bantu 3/19/2010 10:17 AM
Safa/Psl now you know where the problem is just change the foreign qoata and give more chance to the south africans, so that in 2018 we don't talk about too many foreign players in our league
The writer3/19/2010 10:01 AM
we want nothing less, you must take us to the semifinals, we pay you too much money for you to be talking about the last 16.
Vuks3/19/2010 10:01 AM
PSL teams are there to make money...not to develop players for the National team, hence more foreign players and coaches.
Adam3/19/2010 9:58 AM
South African sports players unfortunately have ego's way too big for their performances. They are spoilt, paid too much money and get away with murder. Prove that they can be the best and then they can flaunt their egos!!
Ryno3/19/2010 9:58 AM
Lets be honest now, they lack a bit more than Killer Instict. Nevertheless, I really hope they do well in the World Cup.
DT3/19/2010 9:49 AM
and he only figures it out now.Mr. Parreira confident doesn't confident that we gonna make it through the 1st round.SA should brace themselves for dissapointment @ the SWC coz if thats what our coach thinks, can you imagine how much confidence he is instilling in the players.BUGGERALL!!
footballer3/19/2010 9:46 AM
That's right...start getting those excuses in. The average rugby supporter could have told you that.
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