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Only a few local junior players with World Cup and Afcon experience have progressed beyond just playing on the international stage.
A case in point is the small band of players who went on to become regulars at club level and graduated to Bafana Bafana later on.
That number is made up of members of the class of 2009 in the Under-20 World Cup, including Darren Keet, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Thulani Serero and Dino Ndlovu, who are now all part of coach Stuart Baxter’s pool.
But the road has not been smooth for every player who featured on the world stage.
Spare a thought for Mondli Mpoto, Athenkosi Dlala, Nelson Maluleke and Thendo Mukumela.
This group starred in the heroic South African Under-17 team, Amajimbos, that was tipped as the foundation for the future of South African football after they reached the 2015 World Cup.
They also featured at the Korea Under-20 global spectacle two years ago, but have since fallen off the radar as they either turn out in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC), the PSL reserve league or are in the wilderness of the lower leagues.
Hindering these players’ progress, according to Amajita head coach Thabo Senong, is the lack of game time at club level for most young players.
Senong is carrying the hopes of a fourth generation of Amajita, who Safa hopes will come of age for the 2022 World Cup.
“The young talent fades away because they don’t get game time [at the clubs],” Senong told City Press upon Amajita’s return home after their third-place finish at the CAF Under-20 Afcon in Niger last weekend.
“I think that’s where we are failing our boys; we’re not giving them enough minutes at a competitive level. You see some playing in the MDC for three seasons, but there is no progression,” Senong said.
“I’ll always suggest that [local] clubs partner with overseas clubs and loan some of these young players. Europe offers more opportunities and more professional leagues compared with what we offer.
“They can still come back and play for their respective clubs.”
Senong cited Wits as a good example – they have lent Kobamelo Kodisang to a third-division club in Portugal.
“He is developing as an international player. We can do more. We need to increase the number of young players playing abroad.”
While former Amajimbos and academy coach Molefi Ntseki was drooling over the long list of young South African players based abroad, he admitted there was no model in place to monitor and track players.
“To be honest, we operate on luck,” he said.
Ntseki, who is Bafana’s assistant coach, steered the South African Under-17s to the 2015 World Cup in Chile.
He also urged local clubs to “play ball”.
“The same clubs that refuse to release players identified these young players from the junior national teams. That on its own hinders progress.”
Ntseki said he did a case study on some of the west African countries that insist on having an input on the contracts of their players when they are signed by overseas clubs: “They have a special clause in their contracts that reminds those clubs that they are signing a national team player who should be made available when they are called upon for national duty, especially during Fifa designated dates.”
Senong had battles with a few clubs over the release of players prior to the Niger Afcon.
Against the odds, he guided Amajita to their second successive World Cup qualification since he took the reins in 2015.
South Africa qualified for this year’s World Cup in Poland by reaching the semifinals at the Under-20 Afcon in Niger.
Amajita finished third, pipping Nigeria to a bronze medal last weekend at the tournament won by Mali, who beat Senegal in the final.
All the three west African nations will join South Africa as the continent’s representatives at the Polish World Cup.
“We need to make sure that they perform well at the World Cup,” said Senong. “We’ll give our players good friendly games and monitor them. They must also keep their feet on the ground because discipline is key.
“It’s easy for us to give them caps at matches like the Chan [African Nations Championship] qualifiers and the Cosafa senior challenges because these are some of Safa’s programmes where we can progress and fast-track the talents of these players.”
Senong lauded Safa for giving Amajita ideal preparations for the Niger championships.
Team SA were the first to arrive in Niamey in Niger.
The legendary Bebeto of Brazil and Portugal’s great Fernando Couto will help conduct the official draw in Gdynia, Poland today.
