HOME > AFCON 2012 > NEWS > STEVEN PIENAAR SAYS BAFANA CANT SLIP UP AGAINST NIGER

Steven Pienaar says Bafana can't slip up against Niger

Pienaar – Take nothing for granted

Posted: 2010-09-02 15:07

Steven Pienaar has issued a rallying cry to his Bafana Bafana teammates not to take their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Group G opponents Niger for granted.

With their opening game taking place in Nelspruit on Saturday evening, Pienaar is confident that South Africa will have prepared sufficiently for the clash with Niger.

“International football is tough nowadays … there is no opponent who you can look down at. The Ghana game is behind us and we new start from this game,” said Pienaar.

The Everton midfielder is expecting Niger to adopt a very defensive approach for the game and believes it will take a lot of probing to break them down.

“We expect them to sit back and absorb the pressure. We need to be patient and not rush or else the supporters will be on our case. We need to work at them and make sure we get an early goal,” he says.

South Africa failed to qualify for the last Nations Cup – something Pienaar feels had to with the fact that they did not win their early games.

“It was very difficult for us to accept when we did not qualify for the last tournament. We need to make sure that we do not fall into the same trap and concentrate only on the big team in the group. We need to win at home and think about the other games later.”

According to Pienaar, the fact that Pitso Mosimane has called up a number of younger players to the team will spur the old order into action.

“The new, younger players in the team are pushing us. The guys now have the hunger to do better because nobody wants to lose their places to the young players, so it pushes them harder to do better.”

With the Niger clash looming, Pienaar does not want to think too far ahead, but is hoping that Sierra Leone can do them an early favour.

“My hope is that Sierra Leone can surprise Egypt and get a draw against them, and hopefully we can get the three points from our game, that will be a good start,” he says.

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Soccer Critic (size13): 2010-09-02 15:13

Pienaar just concentrate on the game against niger please, this thing of u hope sierra leone can draw against egypt is just out of line...no hopes please. just go there and prepare to die 4 us(south africans)

Soccer Critic (size13): 2010-09-02 15:14

Tivani its ur turn to come and post ur tjatjarag...

shatim: 2010-09-02 15:17

Pienaar, this game needs teko`s brilliance but he is a cow. Please ask him to quit the national team after this game because his days at piecity are numbered, nfd is his next stop

Thabang [The KHOSI One]: 2010-09-02 15:21

Ok guys; let's just concentrate on the job at hand and stop worrying about other countries. If we beat Niger 10-0, would we really care what happens between Egypt v SL?

Good Luck, Mr. Coach and your boys.

The KHOSI One

Thabang [The KHOSI One]: 2010-09-02 15:29

Bloggers, I am concerned we dont have depth in our BB Goalkeeping department. Josephs and Khune do not have a reliable cover. If one gets red-carded and the other one gets injured, then we are in trouble. Hope Marlin (although aging) gets more game time this season.

It's about time they introduce a development keeper like that KEERT or KEET or something u20 boy from WITS. (what's his name again?)

The KHOSI One

Wonder: 2010-09-02 15:30

Just win all your games and you'll have no need to worry about other teams and how they play!!

FRANCO: 2010-09-02 15:31

Good points raised by one of our exceptional players. Please bloggers this is not the right time to start entertaining our personal feelings based on the clubs one affiliates with, it is the time we put our differences behind and support our national team like we did durinf the world cup.

Let us for once show how patriotic we are to our beloved country. For now there is no Chiefs; Pierats or Sundowns. We only have one Bafana Bafana.

And to our player and all South Africans, is time we do everything by ourself and stop relying on other teams to do us favours because we can make it. We only have to win every game and stop relying on any country to do us a favour. BAFANA KAOFELA....

thivhu....: 2010-09-02 15:33

Thabang: 2010-09-02 15:21 [ Report ]
You are right Khosi Lam, why we have to put lot of pressure to ourselves, we need not to depend on other results but on ours. We can do it. I am very much positive of a win on Sa****ay night.

Love & Peace --- Black & Gold

Soccer Critic (size13): 2010-09-02 15:44

im a proudly south african, i care about bafana. im behind them 101%, they have my support in good and bad times.

thabang i wish they can select that goalie 4 santos in bafana setup. that boy is very good...is he motsoeneng???? but that goalie 4 santos, young and ambitious!!!

Soccer Critic ( Tivani ): 2010-09-02 15:45

Pienaar already making promises

Soccer Critic ( Tivani ): 2010-09-02 15:46

He was tired during the world cup.

Soccer Critic ( Tivani ): 2010-09-02 15:47

Every team reflects the tactical & strategic qualities of there coach. Judgement of a good and bad player is relative because each player is only good at playing curtein roles in curtein system. What people without a strategic acumen fail to realise is that Steven Pienaar will do brilliantly in the English & not in the South African team due to the contrasting playing styles & him not scoring in 6 years is evident of that.

Soccer Critic ( Tivani ): 2010-09-02 15:48

Evarton & Bafana Bafana are totally different teams & they play totally different styles, so what evere he does for Everton says nothing for Bafana Bafana if he cant score.

How do you expect a player who was consistent in giving you a poort performance for 6 years to miraculously give you something different. Thats called being indinial.

Soccer Critic (size13): 2010-09-02 15:50

ayi wena king uthanda i-attention nawe, yah u funny at times but in other times u just boring bru. and i can see that u always backing up tivani, that venda boy can take his stupidity to the next level!!! every article to him is about teko...teko this teko that!!! why dont u change ur team to TEKO PIRATES??? coz i can see u praising him more than any player in pirates!

Thabang [The KHOSI One]: 2010-09-02 15:53

KING: 2010-09-02 15:43 [ Report ]

KING, you are the only one making sense in this blog ok. Now take that accolade and stick it in your arrogantly ignorant a.s.s. nxa sis!

The KHOSI One

PhatKatt: 2010-09-02 15:56

Pienaar this time you wont be rushing to catch the plane to the UK, so show them chana show them, this guy uyangibusisa, thanks to the Lord we have such a dedicated and mature player in our beatiful land, He's the best, I repeat THE BEST

PhatKatt: 2010-09-02 16:01

I see Mphela scoring a hatrick and between Pienaar, Parker and Shabba a goal will be scored then the score will be SA 4 Niger 0. This is a walkover for Mzansi

the Don: 2010-09-02 16:07

Hi everyone pls avoid responding to this Soccer Critic ( Tivani ) we are tired of his negativety, he is spoiling the site.

the Don: 2010-09-02 16:07

Hi everyone pls avoid responding to this Soccer Critic ( Tivani ) we are tired of his negativety, he is spoiling this sie.

THE DESTROYER : 2010-09-02 16:12

KING-DK....nice c0mment ntwana.truth need to be told these days.

Sive Mgobo : 2010-09-02 16:12

I am 100% bihind u bafana,thank for being confident Pienaar we know you love your country and your is proud of you

Lil witchy : 2010-09-02 16:14

Sory 4being off da topic..aids kils mi aunt died in our arms mi mom n i..plz b faithful 2 ur partnerz.abstain or us protectn..2da topic stop relying on ada countries n get da job done gud luck

mash-do : 2010-09-02 16:19

lmao lil witchdoctor!!!!

CPT chick: 2010-09-02 16:26

Gud luck Bafana, go out there and make us proud, please stop relying on othaer countries and do it for the country. football is ur career guys, u not doing us favors when you on the field of play...its what pays ur bills,you should start respecting ur jobs jst like any other citizens, ofcourse those who are employed lol....em black and white by birth

ALLY : 2010-09-02 16:35

My trust iz on u Piennar as i alwayz do,hey King uyayithanda i -attention ndoda @ Lilly Witchy sorry my brother abt what happened i 'm seconding u on taking care of our loved ones & us, if u 've already started pls use some protections, we need 2 lv ourselves as we do when it comes 2 sports.

tafara: 2010-09-02 17:10

Mr Pienaar African football is changing by the day,even if Egypt are to be held or be beaten by Siera Leone,what is that to u.Just look at Botswana who ever thort of them Leading that group with Togo,Tunisia and Malawi?..That Niger team may spring some suprises if you are not carefull.My advice to Pitso,is that dont go all out with the formations you used during the WC,and against Ghana,becoz those matches were beamed the world over,and those tactics you used,will not work for you,if Niger did their home work well.If you look at that Ghana game,it needed Mphela to kick that Mensah boy,for him to find space,otherwise it was going to be a nil all draw.If Bafana are to fail to get a win then kiss Afcon 2012 goodbye,because the best that you can obatain from this group is to qualify as one of the best runner-ups,becoz,the big boyz are gonna win this group.

The Mountain: 2010-09-02 17:42

Steps to follow. "Pride of Africa"

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1292455.html?cid=new****ter_en_20100902_newsid1292455

wezo : 2010-09-02 19:24

i hope stupid chips fanz r listening 2 metro fm.manto madllala hd said it al.moronz r deaf thy cnt even hear.cme 11 septmba wl make thm mor deaf

All psl trophies : 2010-09-02 20:01

Wezo go and tel ur mum to open her legs and u wil c a bunch of morons.

ALLY : 2010-09-02 20:41

@Wezo! hey u rubbish go 2 ur dad & tell him 2 open his pants u 'll c what moron iz u idiot.

Mapiti M : 2010-09-02 23:56

I'll be very hapi 4 Bafana also 2 win dat game,as it will make then do better the nxt games wic follows on their group game! It wont be an easy game 4 us bt we hve 2 win it 2 hve a safer side!

Nkululeko mbatha : 2010-09-03 07:31

Bafana wil win as lng as pitso plays parker on da left an shaba jst behind killer .pitso must ply 2defensive players(yeye,khuboni) so tht pienaar,parker,shaba cn hv da freedom 2attak.pitso mst ply 4_2_3_1. Bt any way BB winz

Soccer Critic ( Tivani ): 2010-09-03 10:00

Vuvuzelas set for blast off at Commonwealth Games"


Loved and loathed in equal measure, the drone of the vuvuzela will resonate in India for the first time at the Commonwealth Games in October.

The plastic horn, which went on to become Soccer's World Cup soundtrack in South Africa this year, will be part of Delhi's noisy celebration for the October 3 -14 multi-sports gathering, organisers said on Thursday.

Even though the cacophony received a resounding thumbs-down in Europe, the chairperson of the event's official merchandising partner, Premier Brands, said the high decibel level should not be a problem in India.

"In India we enjoy sports with lot of noise. We are not like the Europeans," Suresh Kumar told Reuters on Friday.

"The organising committee only needs to ensure that the fans are allowed to enter the stadiums with the vuvuzelas and it is not perceived as a security issue."

Kumar refused to share the sales target and where he was sourcing the horns from.

"With just a month to go for the Games to start, we have not set ourselves any target but I can assure you that supply would not be an issue."

Unlike the ones sold in South Africa, the vuvuzelas would be decorated in Indian colours and priced at a little less than $4.

Apart from the company website, vuvuzelas and other official merchandise products could be obtained from mobile vans which will visit schools in the morning and shopping malls and residential areas in the afternoon.


*** Good news indeed

Soccer Critic ( Tivani ): 2010-09-03 10:20

hahahaha!!!

intellect: 2010-09-03 10:32

I partially agree with KING, most comments are not representative of south african society, most people, not all, are just angry and unpatriotic,always complaining and never complementing, I would never recommend players to read these demoralising comments!!

Pienaar is coming in with good spirit and he's also looking ahead so what!? All the best to bafana bafana.

Its not always about chiefs, pirates or Teko. Grow up!!

And to all those with negetive energy they must leave that at home.

Bafana4life
Khosi4Life.