Bafana Bafana - 2010 World Cup
Foreign coaches are selfish!
Posted: 2010-02-09 11:48
Foreign coaches within the ranks of the PSL appear to be putting their own selfish interests before that of Bafana Bafana's success at the World Cup in June.
Two more of them, Mamelodi Sundowns' Hristo Stoitchov and Ajax Cape Town's Foppe de Haan, have have joined the chorus of complaints about the camps that national team coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is holding.
Orlando Pirates' Ruud Krol along with Moroka Swallows coach Rainer Zobel raised their voices against Parreira after Bafana's recent two-week camp in Durban.
Stoichkov and De Haan have criticised Parreira's coaching methods, saying their players returned from the camp in Durban in bad shape.
Stoichkov has even threatened not to release his players should they be called to a Bafana camp, which falls outside the Fifa dates.
"I know that there is too much pressure on Parreira to make Bafana one of the best teams in the World Cup, but my players won't go to the camp if it's not on a Fifa date. There are too many games but there's no respect for us coaches, clubs and our players," said the Brazilians' mentor.
Sundowns had eight players at the camp – Matthew Booth, Matthew Pattison, Siyanda Xulu, Innocent Mdledle, Katlego Mphela, Siboniso Gaxa, Luvhengo Mungomeni and Franklin Cale and everyone was talking about the club's achievement.
Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe has often stated that he wants as many of his players as possible in the Bafana line-up, so Stoitchov's rant seems to be out of line with what his boss wants.
One can only wonder whether the Bulgarian mentor is trying to build up an excuse should he fail to overhaul SuperSport United in the race for the Absa Premiership title.
De Haan, who hails from Holland, said: "It's obvious that there was too much physical training which has affected my players. That's why Lance (Davids) didn't play. The national coach does not talk to us and I received no report after my players came back."
Last week Krol and Zobel, along with Gavin Hunt of SuperSport, criticised the 1994 World Cup-winning coach.
Of the three Krol was the most scathing in his comments, saying the physical training which the players endured under Parreira had almost killed them.
"The players who came back ... were flat and it was a big problem for me ... my players were not in good shape when they returned.
"I heard they did a lot of physical training, but there has been no communication from the national coach. I expected a report but received nothing. It's disturbing."
Pirates' players who attended the recent Bafana camp were Teko Modise, Lucas Thwala, Andile Jali, Gert Schalkwyk, Thulasizwe Mbuyane and Moeneeb Josephs and everyone of them wants to be in the line-up at Soccer City on June 11. It's a chance in a lifetime to cover themselves in glory and bring further pride to Pirates.
With Bucs well out of the running for the League title this season, it is fair to say that the Dutchman hasn't achieved anything of note over the past two seasons and that won't sit well with The Ghost.
Krol also faces a CAF Champions League trip into Africa and if he doesn't fare well in this competition, he can expect the axe to fall in Parktown North.
Birds' fans are even more fickle than those of Pirates, and have been known to turn on their coach at the drop of a feather.
Rainer may or may not be aware of this, but if inconsistent Swallows, who are sitting in 8th position on the log, drop any further down he will know all about it.
The German, who has accomplished absolutely nothing at this stage, appears to blame this inconsistency on the ‘lengthy' Bafana camps as well as playing way too many games in a short period of time.
"When you play way too many games, it makes the coaches confused. It hasn't done us any good at all as coaches. It is not good at all for the players to play so many games as it affects their performance."
Hunt's complaint is probably based on stretched nerves. SuperSport are in line for a third successive League title crown but have Sundowns breathing down their neck.
Win or lose, Hunt's job is safe but it will be a matter of personal achievement and something to put into his CV if he is looking to further his coaching career beyond South Africa's borders.
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