This game had a great deal riding on it from Bafana coach Joel Santana’s perspective, with his side being closely watched and his job on the line if results did not turn around drastically.

In the early stages of the match Macbeth Sibaya had a good shot on goal from distance, but despite an awkward bounce the goalkeeper collected the ball.

The stadium was virtually empty, with the players on the pitch more audible than the few supporters in the crowd on a very cold night in Iceland. The South Africans had a desperate look about them, with every counter attack and scoring opportunity having extra pressure attached to it after so many bad results in the last few months.

Iceland’s first real opportunity came after twenty minutes, when a long throw was flicked dangerously into the area, but Bafana stopper Moeneeb Josephs did well to catch the ball.

After the Norwegian setback on the weekend, Santana was really feeling the pressure, as he quietly sat and watched his side struggle to put away a number of chances that were created as a result of good passing.

The first half ended goalless, but Iceland would point a goal on the score sheet soon after the restart, with Veigar Pall Gunnarson making it 1-0 for Iceland in the 50th minute. The goal was a shock for Bafana, as it came against the run of play.

The game lacked quality on both ends of the pitch, as South Africa played without a great deal of confidence, while Iceland showed little creativity going forward.

The 96th ranked Iceland were cruising towards a rare win, and South Africa could do little to stop them with their attack looking terribly pedestrian.

As time went on in the second half South Africa played more positively, with a nothing-to-lose attitude giving them more confidence, but it was a case of too little too late, and after the 90 minutes were up Iceland claimed a 1-0 win over a disappointing Bafana team.

Source: goal.com

Pic: supersport.co.za

Santana and his beleaguered Bafana squad leave on Tuesday night for two friendly matches against Norway in Oslo on Saturday and Iceland in Reykjavik next Tuesday knowing that his new bosses are going to be much tougher to please than the old regime and mediocrity will not be tolerated.

Nematandani and his new committee have made no bones about the fact they are fed up with the poor results that Bafana and Santana have delivered since the Confederations Cup in June.

Nematandani warned after the Safa annual general meeting last Saturday that getting Bafana back on track for next June’s World Cup finals was one of his major priorities.

The new Safa boss said after his first meeting with his new NEC that they were worried about the way Bafana have been performing.

He said: “We have not made any judgments as yet. But we need to get Bafana back to their winnings ways and fast. Hopefully the input by messers Sono, Hunt and Barker will assist the NEC to decide the way forward.”

Bafana have lost six of their last seven matches. Their only win was a lucky 1-0 home victory over Madagascar ranked 131st in the world.

But the new the new Safa boss disclosed that the idea was hatched at Tuesday’s NEC meeting.

“I have not spoken to Barker, Sono or Hunt but I am sure they will come to assist us. We as the new Safa leadership need to know what is going on a ground level with Bafana,” Nematandani said.

In other words, should Santana fail against both Norway and Iceland he can virtually kiss his R1,4 million per month job goodbye.

Santana is at this stage unaware of these new developments, but they will add to the pressure.

The local media called for his head but Santana refused to budge. Nematandani said that while he demanded results he wanted to support Santana and give him a chance.

Source: supersport.co.za

At a packed media briefing, Brazilian born Santana was told by new South African Football Association president Kirstin Nematandani that he had given the unpopular coach a stay of execution.

“We met with Santana and his technical team on Wednesday,” said the new Safa boss.

“We are aware of the outcry about Bafana’s lack of success in recent matches. We told the coach that we expect him to start bringing back results.

“But we need to give Santana and his team our full support before we take the step of firing or not firing him.”

Most members of the media expect Santana’s head to roll if Bafana lose against both Norway and Iceland. However, Nematandani stopped short of saying that he would fire Santana if the team failed in next week’s games.

“We have not given Santana or his technical team an ultimatum, but we want to make sure that we have a competitive team to play in the World Cup next June,” he said.

In campaigning for the Safa presidency, the Football Transformation Forum, of which Nematandani is a member, said they would fire Santana should a member of the FTF win the Safa election last Saturday.

But it appears Nematandani and his followers are having second thoughts and are prepared to give Santana another chance to get the under-performing national side back on track.

Santana was also told to conduct Thursday’s conference in English. He normally speaks through an interpreter.

After 16 months in charge of Bafana the Portuguese speaking Santana’s English is still poor and difficult to understand. Few of the SA media could work out what he was trying to say when they confronted him and asked if he would resign should Bafana lose against Norway and Iceland.

Speaking his usual gobbledygook, Santana tried to squirm out of answering the question. He appeared to deny that he would quit, but it also appears that time is running out for the Brazilian.

He said, or at least it sounded like he said: “I have no problems with the new Safa president, I am simply doing my job.”

Safa chief executive Raymond Hack defended Santana.

“We are looking at the bigger picture and working towards the Word Cup. That is Santana’s mandate,” said Hack.

“We also decided not to use the interpreter because he needs to start speaking English at press conferences.”

Santana has again left out the two ‘bad boys’ – Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy and Spanish based central defender Nasief Morris – who were both excluded from June’s Confederations Cup for disciplinary reasons despite calls for their recall.

South Africa have lost six of their last seven internationals, and they played to a flattering 1-0 win over poorly prepared Madagascar.

The bottom line is that, while Safa are putting on a show of support for Santana, it is clear they will act swiftly when the time comes. That time could be next week.

The team assembles on Tuesday and departs in the evening.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Emille Baron (SuperSport Untied), Rowen Fernandez(Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Moeneeb Josephs(Orlando Pirates).

Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Morgan Gould (SuperSport United), Bevan Fransman(Maccabi Netanya, Israel), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa,Israel), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth, England), Anele Ngcongca (KRC Genk, Belgium), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates).

Midfielders: Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham, England) Benson Mhlongo, Teko Modise (both Orlando Pirates), Steven Pienaar (Everton,England) Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Elrio van Heerden (Blackburn Rovers, England), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs).

Strikers: Richard Henyekane (Golden Arrows), Mabhuti Khenyeza and Katlego Mphela (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Sthembiso Ngcobo (Free State Stars), Bernard Parker (FC Twente,Netherlands)

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

Joel Santana

Both Orlando Pirates midfield star Modise and Israel-based left-back Masilela did not play in Bafana‘s 1 – 0 win over Poland in their final warm-up friendly at Orlando Stadium on Saturday ahead of the Confederations Cup which kicks off on Sunday. Bafana face Iraq in the opening Group A clash at Ellis Park on Sunday at 4pm.

Pienaar limped off midway through the second half of the victory over Poland with a swollen ankle.

But Bafana manager Sipho Nkumane revealed on Sunday that all three players would be reporting fit for training on Monday morning.

“I have just seen Steven (Pienaar) and there is no problem,” said Nkumane. “He twisted his ankle against Poland but fortunately it is not serious and that is tremendous news for the squad.”

Nkumane confirmed that Santana had left both Modise and Masilela out of the line-up against Poland as a precaution.

“Both suffered niggling injuries last week. It was decided with our opening match in the Confederations Cup against Iraq on Sunday there was no point in taking risks. Both Masilela and Modise will be back in full training on Monday. So it is all good news from the camp.”

Nkumane also heaped praise on sports psychologist Henning Gericke who worked with the players before the match against Poland.

“Gericke is amazing,” he said. “After he spoke with the players on Friday night, there was a new self belief in them and it showed in the way we played and beat a top ranked side like Poland. The win over Poland (ranked 39th in the world) has really put the cherry on top and confidence is soaring. Now we are ready to go out and beat Iraq and set up a winning platform for our Confederations Cup campaign.”

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

Local based players will get the first chance to impress Bafana Bafana head coach Joel Santana in 2009 when the Brazilian names a squad comprises only Premier Soccer League players next week to play Zambia in the first friendly of the year at Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium on January 27.

As this friendly is a practice match, no caps will be awarded. But it is an important game for Santana as this will be the first opportunity for the coach to start fine tuning the squad ahead of the Confederations Cup in June where Bafana are in the group with European champions Spain, Asian kingpins Iraq, and Oceania champions New Zealand.

Santana will meet with his technical team on Thursday to prepare for the friendly and begin selecting players.

But this is an excellent opportunity for local players to impress against Zambia and catch the coach’s eye ahead of next month friendly against Chile for which caps will be awarded.” Bafana play Chile on February 17 in Polokwane on a Fifa sanctioned date.

Santana will use the core of PSL players he has used in recent matches such as Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, crafty winger Siphiwe Tshabalala, Thanda Royal Zulu striker Bernard Parker – if he has not been transferred to Red Star Belgrade – Golden Arrows class midfield anchor Kagisho Dikgacoi, Orlando Pirates midfield maestro Teko Modise, plus Mamelodi Sundowns players Siboniso Gaxa, Robyn Johannes, Surprise Moriri and Lerato Chabangu as the backbone of his squad.

Santana, who returned from a holiday in Brazil on Monday is not able to call up any of his overseas based players as the match fall outside a Fifa sanctioned date.

Said Sanyane: “This gives the coach the perfect opportunity to get an early look at what is available in the PSL and reward players who are shaping well this season.”

With the Confederations Cup around the corner and the 2010 World Cup just 18 months away, every friendly game Bafana play will be taken seriously.

Santana said after his side defeated Cameroon in the final friendly of 2008 in Rustenburg in November, that he had 80 percent of his squad in mind for the Confederations Cup.

But Santana stressed the door was not closed. Players like Ajax Cape Town striker Mabhuti Khenyeza, must be given a chance. Khenyeza, a former Bafana player, is due for another chance. He has been in outstanding scoring form for the league leaders.

His teammates Nazeer Allie and Brett Evans, are also in the frame.

Both full backs have also been on top form this season. Ajax’s two wingers, Franklyn Cale and Sameehg Doutie, must also be under consideration. Both have been outstanding for the Urban Warriors.

Although Sundowns are not doing well this season, goalkeeper Calvin Marlin is another who has rediscovered his best form and is ready to challenge Khune for the number one jersey.

Then there is Eleazar Rodgers, the talented Santos striker and his teammate Erwin Isaacs, who are knocking on the Bafana door, as is Pirates’ flying winger Dikgang Mabalane, plus Moroka Swallows’ hard working midfielder Lefa Tsutsulupa.

Source: supersport.co.za

Pic: skysports.com