After Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos suggested that SA has a striker problem, KickOff analyzes what causes this scoring crisis, which has been ongoing for years.
1. Big Three priority on foreign strikers
Like goalkeepers, the big clubs in the PSL prefer trusting foreign strikers to lead their line and it depletes the pool of strikers available to Bafana when the Big Three - Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns - have top strikers who are not South Africans.
READ: Esperance coach makes admission about Sundowns win
The financial resources at big clubs, particularly at Sundowns, has ensured that top strikers have remained in the PSL despite scoring a lot of goals over the seasons, whereas before, after one good season they would be signed by an overseas club.
2. Not enough South African strikers go overseas
Lyle Foster and Lebogang Mothiba are rare cases of current South African forwards who play for decent teams abroad, but they both did not go overseas on the back of a good season in the PSL (Mothiba has not played in the PSL).
Not having enough South African strikers signed by overseas clubs after good seasons limits their skill set when they have to play international football.
3. PSL low-block tactics
With the exception of a few teams, most teams in the PSL play not to lose, especially against the big teams, and that means low-block tactics are common in the PSL.
Unlike in the past decade, for example, it's rare to find teams both playing attacking football and playing to win and the primary focus on defensive patterns and responsibilities has stifled the growth of strikers.
4. Looking down on strikers from smaller teams?
Bradley Grobler has been scoring goals consistently in the PSL over the last five years or so but has never been a regular at Bafana, let alone being called up. One wonders if he would have featured more if he played for one of the Big Three.
Underrated strikers currently also include the likes of Iqraam Rayners and Khanyisa Mayo, who both missed out on the AFCON squad despite being among the top goal-scorers in the PSL.
5. Modern game modeling at grassroots
Youth coaches emphasize the importance of developing better players over winning matches in most academies of PSL clubs in the country, with players encouraged and trained to be versatile rather than being specialists.
READ: Chiefs players urged to play for contracts
That is why it is very rare to hear a young player in the country being tipped to become the next Benni McCarthy, because there are less and less youngsters with the passion to just hit the back of the net and nothing else.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!
