The senior males’s nationwide staff, Bafana Bafana, have for years had issues up entrance owing to the dearth of deadly strikers within the native sport. But one other downside is creeping up on Bafana and the fear is that nobody appears to concentrate on it. Or merely, nobody cares.
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While the strike division of the staff was loaded with expertise through the profitable run within the Caf Africa Cup of Nations in 1996, it has since drastically diminished. Bafana haven’t had a correct and deadly striker for the previous 10 years. Katlego Mphela was the final striker who delivered for Bafana.
But, since his retirement nobody has taken the baton. And that’s the reason Benni McCarthy’s lengthy standing file of 32 objectives for the nationwide staff stays unthreatened.
But the opposite downside is maybe much more regarding than the dearth of correct strikers.
The proper understudy
South Africa is slowly seeing a dearth of excellent goalkeepers, maybe owing to Itumeleng Khune’s lengthy keep as Bafana No 1.
Finding Khune’s substitute when he fell out of favour at membership stage and consequently at Bafana stage was just a little simpler, as a result of Ronwen Williams had all the time been there as an understudy.
But discovering Williams’ understudy has been troublesome. Currently, AmaZulu’s Veli Mothwa is the second in command after Williams at Bafana, however he’s additionally on the mistaken aspect of 30 when it comes to age. And he isn’t a prime keeper that you’d count on at that stage.
Complicating the issue is that of the 16 DStv Premiership groups, solely 9 use native keepers. But that quantity may diminish even additional subsequent season.
And with Williams shifting to Mamelodi Sundowns the place he may not get the No 1 spot, Bafana could possibly be thrown right into a crisis.
Petersen and Bvuma
There is, nonetheless, a silver lining. Kaizer Chiefs have parted methods with Nigerian keeper Daniel Akpeyi and this implies certainly one of Brandon Petersen and Bruce Bvuma may get the No 1 place.
That is, in fact, until Arthur Zwane prefers the tried and examined Khune and reinstalls him into the staff.
Bvuma has beforehand been picked by Hugo Broos for Bafana even when he was not enjoying at Chiefs and has been an understudy to Williams, whereas Petersen was additionally just lately referred to as as much as the nationwide staff.
There can be TS Galaxy’s Melusi Buthelezi, who was a shock omission from Broos’ staff final time. The 26-year-old has proven indicators of being a great keeper for Galaxy and if he continues his exploits subsequent season, may change into a worthy candidate for Bafana.
Swallows additionally used – though sparingly – 24-year-old Sanele Tshabalala, who may change into Bafana’s subsequent protected fingers sooner or later.
Below we take a look at the 16 DStv Premiership groups and the goalkeepers they’ve of their squads (largely from final season):
AmaZulu FC: Veli Mothwa (RSA), Olwethu Mzimela (RSA) and Jean-Noel Amonome (Gabon)
Cape Town City: Hugo Marques (Angola), Darren Keet (RSA), Luca Dian-Oliaro (RSA)
Chippa United: Ismael Watenga (Uganda), Sipho Chaine (RSA), Loyd Kazapua (Namibia), Ayanda Mtshali (RSA) and Kwanele Nkabi (RSA)
Golden Arrows: Sfiso Mlungwana (RSA), Nkosingiphile Gumede (RSA) and Siyabonga Mbatha (RSA)
Kaizer Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune (RSA), Bruce Bvuma (RSA) and Brandon Petersen (RSA)
Mamelodi Sundowns: Denis Onyango (Uganda), Ronwen Williams (RSA), Reyaad Pieterse (RSA) and Kennedy Mweene (Zambia)
Maritzburg United: Marcel Engelhadt (Germany), King Ndlovu (RSA), Brylon Pieterse (RSA) and Renaldo Leaner (RSA)
Marumo Gallants: Washington Arubi (Zimbabwe)
Orlando Pirates: Richard Ofori (Ghana), Siyabonga Mpontshana (RSA) and Kopano Thuntsane (RSA)
Richards Bay: Neil Boshoff (RSA), Malcolm Jacobs (RSA), Ayanda Ngwenya (RSA), Ludwe Mpakumpaku (RSA) and Salim Magoola (Uganda)
Royal AM: Marlon Heugh (RSA), Hugo Nyame (Cameroon), and Mondli Mpoto (RSA)
Sekhukhune United: Badra Ali Sangare (Ivory Coast), Toaster Nsabata (Zambia), Ntokozo Mtshweni (RSA) and Rowen van Vuuren (RSA)
Stellenbosch FC: Sage Stephens (RSA), Lee Langedeldt (RSA), Keagan Pool (RSA) and Reid Bombay (RSA)
SuperSport United: Ricardo Goss (RSA), George Chigova (Zimbabwe), Boafela Pule(RSA) and Samukelo Xulu (RSA)
Swallows FC: Thela Ngobeni, Sanele Tshabalala, Thakasani Mbanjwa and Virgil Vries
TS Galaxy: Vasilije Kolak (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Melusi Buthelezi (RSA), and Westen van der Linde (RSA).