Former Banyana Banyana attacker Jermaine Seoposenwe has listed some factors she feels could make her reconsider her decision to retire from international football.
Seoposenwe announced her decision to leave the international stage before the 2024 WAFCON tournament and bowed out after the team finished fourth at the event in Morocco. Despite revealing the circumstances that led to her retirement, the Monterrey forward admitted that she has not completely written off the idea of making a U-turn however certain things would need to change for her to return to the squad.
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The 31-year-old was on #MSWOn947 with Robert Marawa on Tuesday where she listed transparency, SAFA making an effort to professionalise the women’s game among some of things that could sway her decision.
“I think for me, firstly, the Association has to become more transparent in what they’re doing and making valiant effort to change women’s football, not just Banyana,” said Seoposenwe.
“The Hollywoodbets [Super League] like make it professional, like, revamp it, do something so that people are coming out and actually watching women’s football, figure out a way to improve the development structures. Obviously, after our generation, which everyone calls the golden generation, who is going to step up next, who is going to fill those spots and then become the next golden generation? Because you don’t want us to go and fall off, and there’s nothing to replace us with.
“And then I think in terms of the environment within Banyana I think it needs to change. I think there are things that obviously, in terms of technical team and staff, they have their things going on. And I think their issues and our issues are creating this weird dynamic in terms of us not being able really to reach our potential because I feel like all of us are going through these issues with the Association these issues with one another. I do believe that also in terms of like, just with us as players abroad, you have that level of knowledge in terms of we come back, and we’ve been coached by all of these people that have poured so much knowledge into us. So obviously we are also expecting an extremely high level of coaching within the national team.
“And obviously, I’m not saying that the coaches are not good enough. I’m just saying that obviously circumstances don’t allow them to be able to be exposed to an international level of the way we actually needed to go, where Banyana needs to go to improve and to become the best team on the African continent, which I know we are capable of. And I know that we have the players because we’ve proven it. I mean, you go to the World Cup, you don’t just go to the round of 16 for nothing. You’ve shown that you can compete with the best teams in the world, and then we are just regressing. For me, I just feel like we’re regressing, because all of these things are just being funnelled into like, oh, like you guys, we will figure it out because we are Banyana.
“We are Thembi, we are Jermaine, we are Linda, we are Hilda, Fifi, Bambanani, Andile, all of these amazing players, Kaylin, everyone that’s involved in the national team, we will figure it out. But as players, we also need to be guided in terms of this is how we want to play. We are going to do this until we get it right. You know, there’s just little things that I feel like as players you expect and when you don’t get that, then it also kind of makes you feel that we’re not going anywhere. You don’t want to feel like that. You want to feel like there’s progress, the development within the team, we’re getting better constantly, every day, every camp. You can see there’s a way of playing. You recognize the style of Banyana when you see Banyana.
“So, getting better on all of those things aspects of football is also important for me. So, the development of the team, tactically, technically, physically, mentally, emotionally, all of those things are incredibly important for us to move forward.”
Seoposenwe also added that issues of funding and sponsorship also need to change emphasising that everything starts with the FA showing better leadership and putting the players’ interest first.
“And then the last thing I would say that obviously investing into the national team more,” added the forward.
“I sympathize with companies, and I understand like they want to be a part of what and where the national team is going to go. I fully believe that. But also understand the perception of they don’t want to get involved, because every time they hear Banyana striking. I think it all starts from the Association, and it will trickle down, but to set standards for yourself, to become more transparent with the players, and to lead, I think we need to be led in a way that we know that these people have our best interests at heart, that when the players come in to camp, it’s their best interest.
“We want to see them doing well so bad that we will give them whatever they need, whenever they need, and we will help them to get to what we know they can get to. You know, the level of play that I know that Banyana can play at we can reach that. But all of these issues constantly coming up and I do believe that if we can solve all these issues, and people need to get involved, like, I’m calling on South Africa, whoever is able to bring change like bring change.”
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