David Notoane talks about soul searching after SA Under-23 AFCON exit.

SA Under-23. Image credit: iDiski Times Twitter

It is now history that the South African Under-23 side will not be part of the AFCON U23 tournament to be hosted by Morocco.

Meaning no chance at fighting for Olympics participation for this talented group of players.

In his media statement, U23 coach David Notoane, talked about a lot of soul searching to be done regarding his team's direction.

In this case, maybe it is SAFA, the custodian of our football who must do some introspection concerning the way they treat the junior national teams.

For example, while Bafana Bafana play friendly matches every other international break, not enough has been done for an equally important team like the U23s.

Against Congo in the first leg match played at Dobsonville Stadium last Thursday, South Africa's performance was embarrassingly disjointed.

A sign of a team hastily put together to fulfill the fixture without adequate preparation or friendly matches to build synergy amongst the players.

It is such a shame that such a talented group of players were not given enough support to prepare them for an equal qualifier like the one against Congo.

With more games together under their belt, Notoane's team were not going to have any problems with the disposing of the Congolese.

But this is South Africa, where adequate planning and preparation is a foreign language.

Notoane's thoughts on the game, and his disappointment:

"A Very, very difficult result and outcome, which we didn’t deserve but it’s football," Notoane told SAFA’s media team as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/african-football/notoane-emotional-after-failing-to-qualify-for-u23-afcon/

"[I’m] very very disappointed on a personal level because I think the game was within our grasp to get a result. We had planned to make sure that defensively we are tight, which we didn’t concede was very good.

"But then we missed some very very good chances, Radiopane had two one-vs-ones, then at the end Mduduzi Shabalala had a breakthrough on transition play on the platter to finish unfortunately again it’s all down to decision-making.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/top-south-african-youngsters-to-miss-out-on-further-development-and-possible-european-moves/

"[I’m] very, very disappointed but I think again the boys put up a very galant fight under very difficult conditions and we’re going out on an away-goal rule unfortunately and it’s football. It wasn’t our time. 

"But it’s emotionally very much draining, if one looks at the circumstances overall in terms of our campaign and it leaves one with a lot more questions and a lot more soul searching about the process that we on in regard to this team."