By Rob Delport
With Carlos Queiroz having lead Egypt to the Afcon final against Senegal, iDiski Times takes a looks back to twenty years ago this week – in what would turn out to be a significant moment in Bafana’s history.
3 February 2002: The crowd erupted… There was jubilation in the stands, and those celebrations were too big to be constrained, as elated Malian fans invaded the pitch after Dramane Coulibaly tapped in to secure Mali’s 2-0 victory over Bafana Bafana.
The hosts were into the semi-finals of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, while Carlos Queiroz’s South African team were out…
This week, twenty years ago, Bassala Touré had put the hosts into the lead around the hour mark of their Afcon quarter-final against South Africa, and Touré also provided the assist for the second (the Malian striker was reportedly injured by the celebrating fans at the end of the game).
There had been high hopes for Queiroz’s team going into this match, especially after their excellent win over Morocco days before.
Ironically that 3-1 win over Morocco was played on 30 January 2002. Twenty years later Queiroz would win against Morocco on that same date, albeit it now as Egypt manager, where he is assisted by South African Roger De Sa, who was also part of his technical team back with Bafana, and with Portugal in 2010.
Sibusiso Zuma gave Bafana a first half lead, before Thabo Mngomeni and Siyabonga Nomvethe score in quick succession early in the second half. Rachid Benmahmoud scored a consolation goal from the penalty spot, but it was too late, and Bafana went into the quarter-finals with confidence.
I must admit I loved that Bafana generation. It was a talented bunch of players, a great mix, and while that loss to Mali was a poor performance, that generation also gave us a lot of thrills.
Unfortunately that one flat performance ended up costing South Africa a lot more than just a cup exit.
Head coach appointments after the 2002 World Cup were unsuccessful, and that has unfortunately been the case for most of the past two decades. Good coaches have had opportunities, and either failed, or weren’t given enough time or support. A few other appointments should never have happened.
But Bafana were a force in Africa for half a decade, and they were still in 2002 under Queiroz.
This was Queiroz before his stints at Manchester United as Alex Ferguson’s assistant, this was before he became Real Madrid manager, or led his Portugal team to the World Cup eight years later. He’d go on to two more World Cup finals with Iran, and while it didn’t work out with Colombia, he now finds himself on the verge of possibly another World Cup with Egypt.
But in 2002 Queiroz was South Africa’s coach, well he was until just after that defeat to Mali.
Back then, expectations for Bafana were very high.
While South Africa had never defeated Mali, and despite Mali being the hosts of the Afcon, that defeat was considered a disappointment.
Despite having qualified Bafana for the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, and reaching the Afcon last eight, Queiroz found his job in jeopardy. While he was still trying to prove it to some people, Queiroz was a world class football manager, a man of great ambition, and while he was still to have his peak moments, he already had a strong reputation and a good CV. Many outside of South Africa had seen Queiroz’s appointment as a bit of a coup.
But SAFA’s appointment of Jomo Sono as technical director to ‘oversee’ the team, after that loss, undermined Queiroz and in March 2002, the Mozambican-born Portuguese coach quit the Bafana post.
“It is a matter of principle and ethics,” Queiroz was quoted as saying at the time.
“The issue at stake is who has final control over the selection of players and I am not prepared to share that responsibility. I cannot compromise my professionalism”.
Sono would take charge in South Korea and Japan, but it was Queiroz who had qualified the team.
Queiroz would go on to qualify for three more World Cup finals (and it could be four if he can get Egypt to Qatar) – Bafana’s only appearance after this would be hosting in 2010.
And what about that Bafana team? That team that lost to Mali was certainly star-studded, made up of mostly European-based players, all stars at their respective clubs. Ninety percent of them remain household names in South Africa today.
It should have been a bright future…
Here’s the eleven that took on Mali:
Hans Vonk – Heerenveen – Bafana’s ‘Dutchman’ was by this time a regular in the national team, and would be a few years more. In fact in his later years Vonk probably reached his highest level, making a move to Ajax Amsterdam. For most of his playing career he was at Heerenveen, and of course also spent a few years at Ajax Cape town. Post retirement he became the technical director at Heerenveen, and would then later return to Cape Town as head of youth and as acting technical director. But his time in that role ended acrimoniously, first suspended before he resigned. Dutch head coach Andries Ulderink resigned in solidarity, and not long after so did the relationship with the Cape club and their Dutch partners.
Bradley Carnell – Stuttgart – Carnell’s career was plagued by injuries, but no one ever doubted the Bundesliga defender’s quality. A very consistent and composed footballer, Carnell looks to have taken those qualities into his coaching career. He’s been in the news recently after he was appointed head coach of new MLS franchise St Louis City, making him the only South African outside of Africa to lead a team. The former New York Red Bulls and Orlando Pirates has a promising career ahead of him.
Aaron Mokoena – Germinal Beerschot – Bafana’s former captain and most capped player is a polarising figure. Perhaps because it is after this period that South Africa’s slump begins. The things is Mbazo made a few mistakes. Kinda like the next defender in this list, it is often the errors that are remembered, and all the good work he did simply overlooked. And trust me, over those century plus caps, Mokoena had a few excellent games. Mokoena remains a popular and busy figure, especially in grassroots football, and not that long he was back in the professional game when he was Jan Olde Riekerink’s assistant at Cape Town City.
Pierre Issa – Watford – While Pierre Issa’s entrance into the Bafana set-up often draws a bit of criticism, by this point the defender was a regular with the team, and had become a consistent and reliable performer. He also was on a good run in Europe. Memories are often a little shaded, and while people like to remember some of his low moments, Issa also had plenty of good games for Bafana. I believe he has been a player manager or agent or intermediary in Northern Africa and France.
Mbulelo Mabizela – Orlando Pirates – One of the most talented footballers this country has produced, he was at his best in this period, though not at right back, where he was sometimes used. But Mabizela being played out of position wasn’t his worst problem, unfortunately he self-sabotaged a promising career. He should’ve become a star overseas, instead he eventually returned to South Africa, where, if he felt like it, he would put in a world class performance every now and then in the PSL. He has said he wants to educate the youth about football, but at this stage Mabizela has not taken a post-playing role in the professional game.
Eric Tinkler – Barnsley – This was would mark the end of Tinkler’s Bafana career. Unfortunately Tinkler put his club job on the line to play at this Afcon, and it ended up costing him. He chose to do it to make sure he was part of the World Cup squad later in the year, but following Queiroz leaving, Tinkler found himself out of the Bafana setup. He’d go back to Portugal, before coming home to play in South Africa, and start his coaching education. He’d soon be working at Wits as an assistant, mainly with current Egypt coach Roger De Sa, before moving along in the same role to Orlando Pirates. He’d take over as head coach at Pirates, and his promising coaching career would take flight. Soon he’d have trophies, with Cape Town City, and SuperSport United. He’d also coach at Chippa United and Maritzburg United, but is now back at City.
Quinton Fortune – Manchester United – I’ve always been a massive fan of Fortune and I became friendly with him after he retired from his playing days. One of the best professionals we’ve ever had, who we also never quite got to see the best of. Fortune has been a polarising figure for many South African fans, as he found himself caught up in a club-versus-country dilemma. I don’t know everything that happened, but what I do know is there are two sides to every story, and Quinton Fortune is arguably one of the most patriotic South Africans I’ve ever met. Quinton has his UEFA Pro Licence, and after starting his coaching at youth level, at Cardiff then at Manchester United, he’s now an assistant at Championship side Reading.
Sibusiso Zuma – FC Copenhagen – One of Bafana’s best during the 2000’s, Rhee was also a star in Europe, especially in Denmark. Probably another one let down by the system, Zuma played through in a team that saw many stars make themselves unavailable, as they fell out with coaches. Zuma recently said he has plans to do his UEFA Pro licence, and hopes to do it in Germany, where he also had a good career.
Benni McCarthy – Porto – The team’s superstar, Benni was a goal machine. He was on a high and perhaps had the next few years not see him fall out with international coaches, he could’ve had double his goal tally. I’ve always found Benni a great barometer for happiness. A happy Benni scores goals, whether at club or international level. Clearly during the next decade Benni wasn’t happy at international level, as coaches came and went. He made himself unavailable at one point, as did a number of other top internationals during the next few years.
Benni the coach needs little introduction either. The former Cape Town City boss is now in charge at AmaZulu and has led them to their highest ever finish in the DStv Premiership and in two months time they will play in the CAF Champions League group stages for the first time. Benni remains as iconic as he was as a player.
Thabo Mngomeni – Orlando Pirates – My friend Thabo Mngomeni was one of the few locally based players who made the Bafana squad at that time. The dreadlocked midfielder was that rare football genius, who not only was skilful, but he was able to effortlessly read and run a football match. Some players needed coaching, Mngomeni less so, because he just slipped into the rhythm. His decision-making and movement would reflect what any coach would want from him. But he’s always marched to his own drum, and while it sounds like an oxymoron, Mngomeni was the ultimate loner team-player.
Thabo’s post football story is less glamorous than many of his contemporaries, almost mirroring his playing career on the local shores. He has found himself unable to get high profile jobs as a coach, but has not been lost to football. He involved himself in SAFA coaching clinics and instructors courses, and like he had to in his playing career, he has found himself turning to the rural Eastern Cape to find his feet.
Siyabonga Nomvethe – Udinese – Bhele was a special talent, and when used correctly was sometimes unplayable. He’d prove that over the next decade or two, playing at the highest standard until he was forty. Now he’s Benni’s assistant at AmaZulu, though he really still looks fit enough to give some of today’s professionals a run for their money.
And let’s not forget the rest of the squad, many who you will recognise from current coaching roles, including Cape Town Spurs coach Shaun Bartlett, former Maritzburg United assistant Delron Buckley, Kaizer Chiefs assistant Dillon Sheppard, Macbeth Sibaya, SuperSport United assistant Andre Arendse, Bennett Mnguni, Brian Baloyi, Bradley August, Frank Schoeman, David Kannemeyer and Matthew Booth.
