Perhaps, not joining Chiefs was a blessing in disguise for Mayambela.

Bafana Bafana star, Mihlali Mayambela. Image: Twitter

Kaizer Chiefs didn't have a single player in the Bafana Bafana squad that beat Liberia to qualify for AFCON 2024 in Ivory Coast.

Mihlali Mayambela, who was a subject of their interest when he was considering a move back home, scored the goal that earned Bafana's passage to the continental showpiece.

Had he joined Amakhosi, chances are he would not have been called up to the national team in the first place, considering their situation and performances this season.

The 26-year-old who plies his trade in the Cypriot 1st Division with Aris Limassol, where he has scored three goals in 24 appearances, has since played four times for Bafana, scoring two goals.

Mayambela on Chiefs interest:

"Yes, but it was not only Chiefs. I had many other options from different countries but I had to make a decision at the end of the day," Mayambela told iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/bafana-bafana/mayambela-opens-up-on-chiefs-interest/

"I had to go with my gut, not with anybody else, not with my brother’s heart or with my mom’s heart or anybody but what I wanted at the time and the opportunity came to go to Cyprus.

"I just heard. It came from uSne [Sinesipho Mali, former Chiefs scout and analyst] but I heard it from my brother.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/when-it-comes-to-last-three-to-four.html?m=1

"I was not in contact with them because that’s not how I deal. I don’t speak to the clubs or to the members of the club. They speak to my agent and it ended there.

"That’s when I decided to move to where I’m at. It was a good decision because I reached my dream to be in the national team and this is the most important thing now."

Doesn't Dolly sound not too eager to play for Bafana? Or is it just me?

The Story Is: Kaizer Chiefs captain, Keagan Dolly, is still open to playing for the national team should a call-up come.

But he has also made it clear that Chiefs and his family are his biggest priority at this stage of his career, which makes it sound like making the Bafana squad is not really his goal at the moment.

"Ya, look, I’ve always wanted to represent my country and I still want to do that, it’s always an ambition of mine to help the country qualify for major tournaments you know and that’s still in me," Dolly said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/africa-cup-of-nations/dolly-on-bafana-snub-after-and-2023-afcon-qualification/

"But look we’re focused on Kaizer Chiefs and the game this weekend, we’re happy the boys qualified, we’re happy we’re going to AFCON and we don’t know what’s going to happen next whoever makes it needs to make sure we go there and do the country proud."

"If I happen to make the team, I make it, I will give my best – if I don’t, I’ve said that it gives me some time as well to spend with my family." he added.

"I’m at a stage of my life where I want to give my best to Kaizer Chiefs and if I do go to Bafana, I do and I’ll give my best."

The Fact Of The Matter Is: Hugo Broos can do with more experienced players as he sets his sights on a good showing in Ivory Coast AFCON 2024.

Dolly, who has featured 23 times for the national team, hasn't really set the scene in Bafana colors compared to his exploits at club level, the upcoming AFCON is an opportunity for him to write his name amongst national team legends.

Under Broos, Dolly has donned the national team colors four times, but due to his inconsistent performances at club level, he has found himself frozen out.

At the age of 30, with the talent and experience at his disposal, it is not too late for Dolly to show more enthusiasm about representing the country.

He has made 10 goal contributions for Chiefs so far this season, with five goals and five assists, not a bad return considering his struggles with form.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/03/why-winning-caf-champions-league-should.html?m=1

In A Nutshell: A consistent and determined Dolly can be a valuable addition to Bafana ahead of next year's AFCON.

His educated left-foot is a lethal weapon during set-pieces, a part of the game that is vital in the modern game, especially in tournaments like the AFCON, where set-pieces can decide the results during tight encounters.

But Bafana will need a more enthusiastic Dolly, who is still hungry to make his name in the national team.

Top South African youngsters to miss out on further development and possible European moves.

Image: iDiski Times Twitter

With the national Under-23 team having failed to qualify for AFCON U23 Championships to be held in Morocco, which means no Olyimpic games for them, an opportunity to be scouted by top European clubs is gone.

It is not only the U23s that have missed out, earlier this month, AFCON Under-20 Championships were held in Egypt, and once again South Africa was missing in action.

The continuous absence of our junior national teams in international tournaments is negatively affecting not only the further development of our top youngsters, who miss out on possible European moves, but it affects our senior national team as well, who are denied a steady supply of well developed youngsters to carry them forward.

There is no doubt about the talent South Africa has in terms of young players coming through the ranks.

But the likes of Mduduzi Shabalala, Mfundo Vilakazi, Ntando Nkosi, Relebohile Ratomo, Siyabonga Mabhena to name only a few, will need to compete against the best of their peers if they are to reach the heights of international football, but that won't be possible with the continued failure of our youth national teams to qualify for major tournaments like the Under-20 World Cup and the Olympic games.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/03/south-africa-as-football-nation-dying.html?m=1

Luckily, the national Under-17 side managed to qualify for the AFCON Under-17 Championships after making it through the COSAFA region.

Their coach, Duncan Crowie, and the boys must be commended for making it through, hopefully, they will qualify for the next U17 World Championships.

The fact of the matter is, if our youth national teams don't participate against the best of their peers on the world stage, we can kiss the hopes of having a strong Bafana Bafana side in the near future goodbye.

Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and Morocco will continue to be miles ahead of South Africa because they take their youth national teams seriously, hence their continued participation in youth World Cups and an influx of their top youngsters to European leagues.

As for South Africa, the COSAFA Cup is the only tournament we will be guaranteed to take part in, not that we will win it either, as we are quickly falling behind the likes of Zambia and Angola in the region.

We can't rely on a pensioner - Mammila on Broos.

Image: Facebook

Swallows FC Technical Advisor, Morgan Mammila is known for not being afraid to shoot from the hip.

The former Chippa United was at it again, calling Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, a pensioner that cannot be relied on to lead the national team back to its former glory.

"How on earth can we rely on pensioners to do a better job than young smart coaches," Mammila said on social media as quoted by goal.com https://www.goal.com/en-za/news/mammila-lunges-into-pensioner-bafana-bafana-coach-broos-we-are-testing-poison-with-our-tongues/blt094fad8090360bc9

"We testing poison with our tongues as South Africans. I saw signs of failure in this coach and people thought I was crazy and clueless."

It is not the first time Mammila has taken a dig at Broos.

During the Qatar 2022 World Cup, while singing Morocco's praises after they made history by being the first African country to reach the World Cup semi-finals, Mammila said Bafana need a younger coach if they are to emulate Morocco, not a 70-year-old pensioner.

"We want to go back to the old Bafana Bafana. We are tired of excuses now. Only young and local national team coaches will do well in their country," he tweeted.

"We must not shy to copy what is working from [the] national team of Morocco and other African countries, who were in the World Cup. A 70-year-old pensioner must stay at home."

Like many South Africans, Mammila has been advocating for Al Ahli Saudi coach, Pitso Mosimane to be recalled to lead Bafana Bafana.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/al-ahly-were-poor-under-mosimane-says-mortagy/

Broos will be hoping for a win away in Liberia on Tuesday at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, which will see Bafana qualify for Afcon 2024 in Ivory Coast.

Failure to qualify will be yet another disaster for South African football, with Bafana having failed to make the last Afcon edition in Cameroon.

Liberia coach threatens troubled Bafana.

Bafana Bafana have a difficult task ahead on Tuesday. Image: Twitter

If the words of Liberia coach, Ansumana Keita are anything to go by, Bafana Bafana must brace themselves for war when they take the pitch at Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex on Tuesday.

Liberia stunned Bafana on Friday evening at Orlando Stadium when they came from two goals down to draw 2-2, setting up a tantamount battle in the return leg in their own backyard.

Keita, who was making his senior national team coaching debut against Bafana, has declared an all-out war on Broos's troops, in a game Bafana just can't afford not to win.

"What I’m telling you is (that we have) a tactical strategy we will use to make South Africa suffer," Keita said after the match on Friday as quoted by Times Live. https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-03-25-we-will-make-bafana-suffer-liberia-coach-ansumana-keita-declares-war-on-broos-men/

"We want to win and we are not going to choke. We are going to play, no matter what happens we will play."

Although the Lone Stars mentor accepted that South Africa is better than his side in many factors, he is adamant that his boys will inflict more pain on under pressure Bafana.

"South Africa is bigger than us in football everywhere but we are more prepared than them at this time. Mentally, physically, technically and tactically we are prepared. I’m unapologetic and I’m telling the truth. At home, we are prepared.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.wordpress.com/2023/03/26/shabba-on-why-sundowns-are-successful/

We knew Bafana will miss a lot of goals:

"We knew Bafana Bafana would miss a lot of goals, but that’s football, one has to miss and one has to capitalise on that. We kept our calm, defended well," Keita said. 

"I said to my players, in the dressing room, if Bafana score 100, we will score 100. So, when they score don’t worry, keep calm, focus and let’s go. 

"Trust me when I say before 8am or 9am the stadium would be packed already. The Liberians will be there to support their team.  

His message to Bafana:

"And Bafana Bafana here is a message for you, we are going to compete there. We will compete and we will play them."

Kickoff will be at 6pm SA time.

We told the players that the game is not over - Helman Mkhalele.

Helman Mkhalele and Hugo Broos. Image: Twitter

Honesty, in football, especially when it comes to analyzing the performance of one's team, is key in helping the team improve their future performances.

In Bafana Bafana assistant coach, Helman Mkhalele's comments in the post match conference, there wasn't enough honesty in his assessment of the team's performance.

There was nothing well about Bafana's display against Liberia on Friday night, to even say they played well in patches, would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The reality is, Bafana's performance was scrappy, they were not patient enough in possession, which led to them giving the ball away cheaply.

As for the missed chances that pissed Hugo Broos off, the less said, the better.

The best that the team could have done, was to manage the game and try to protect their lead, even if it meant playing ugly!

But the substitutions made did nothing to suggest that Bafana's technical team were aware of what was happening on the pitch.

"I believe we played the game so well but we played in patches," Mkhalele told iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/bafana-bafana/mkhalele-why-coach-hugo-stormed-off-the-pitch/

"We were supposed to kill the game in the first half but we took the foot off the pedal. Then they started to regain confidence. That’s where I thought we lost it.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.wordpress.com/2023/03/25/bafana-bafana-a-true-reflection-of-the-sorry-state-of-south-african-football/

"More especially after the first goal they scored, that’s when we tried to urge the players to remain composed, but you could see that they started to panic and I believe that led to the equalising goal.

"We told the players that the game is not over, we need to make sure that we take the chances that we created because any goal that they will score, it will work on their minds positively, which it did and negatively on our side."

With all said and done, not all is lost, Bafana can go to Liberia and get a positive result, it is possible.

Broos, Mkhalele, and the players, owe the nation an AFCON appearance, now that is not too much of an ask, is it?

Stubborn Broos can't be moved from his Mailula overseas move stance, but, what if he be right?

Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, has remained adamant on his views about Cassius Mailula's readiness to ply his trade overseas.

The Belgian believes Mailula still needs to gain more experience, especially through Caf Champions League football.

"When I look at him, his behavior in the group is very good," the Belgian tactician said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/dstv-premiership/broos-praises-mailula-but-maintains-europe-stance/

"He’s a guy that has his two feet on the ground, but there are a lot of things to do about him. He’s a young player that is scoring goals at Sundowns when he wants, and that is very cool.

"So I like that very much."

"Secondly, I said it already a few days ago when somebody asked me if he’s ready for Europe, I’ll repeat again, no, Mailula is not ready for Europe.

"He needs to gain more experience and therefore I hope for him that he stays at Sundowns and plays again in CAF Champions League next year. But his experience is also good. But he has something already now that is very important, he is scoring.

"Once he is in the 16 area and he gets a chance, it’s a goal. He has it already. But if he can have a little bit of experience by playing good games, games of high level, I think we can have a very good striker, certainly."          

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.wordpress.com/2023/03/24/does-notoane-really-believe-his-under-23-side-can-win-in-congo-like-really

Why Broos could be right about Mailula:

Cassius's football talent is beyond any reasonable doubt, he is a top footballer with a lot of highly sought after qualities in modern football.

His talent alone, if it was all that matters in football, can take Mailula to the best leagues in Europe.

Unfortunately, talent is not enough.

For Mailula to succeed in the European game, he will need his mental muscles to be as strong as his physical ones.

To develop those strong mental muscles, Mailula needs to be tested more in highly demanding games, and for now, he can get such experiences in the Caf Champions League.

With Sundowns also set to take part in the Caf Super League, Mailula will have more opportunities to test himself under extremely difficult conditions, which will develop his mental strength, something you can't survive without in Europe.

Broos's opinion might be unpopular, as country, we are desperate to see our best talent playing abroad, but he could be right.

Another season with Downs in the CAFCL, coupled with more Bafana caps, can do Mailula a world of good before he moves abroad.

If he goes now, and he finds the going tough, the very same people who say he is ready, will be on his back, calling him a flop!

Maybe, just maybe, Broos is right.

Image: Twitter