A brief review of Bafana Bafana performance against Algeria doesn’t indicate a ‘shocking or inexcusable failure’ as some people might be tempted to believe. In fact and as anticipated, Algerians’ limitation in answering the reaction speed, intricate ball skills and creative moves (mobility) of most Bafana Bafana players was a strong and highly possible reason to defeat them. It only worked partially because certain game circumstances and variables were out of current Bafana Bafana’s arsenal of performance ‘tools’, experience and playing philosophy. These missing strict pre-conditions have nothing to do with coaching at the level of a national team. Let’s look at few examples. It is recorded that approx. 90% of ALL BB’ successful attack combinations COME FROM short, crisp passes, blended with creative moves and dribbling at pace and non-stop mobility. However, AT THIS STAGE the team can ONLY SUSTAIN in average 8-9 such highly effective combinations per game (see the most dangerous attacks and the goal against Algeria) WHILE THE REST of attacks are based on far less effective long-ball or predictably direct attacks which are NOT NATURAL to SA players. This FUNDAMENTAL aspect of SA football (playing philosophy) requires 4-5 years of SPECIFC DEVELOPMENT - mental (decision making and emotional endurance) technical, tactical and a very SPECIAL form of physical conditioning - STILL TO BE IMPLEMENTED in the PROFILE of local players. The other decisive factor – also related to the playing philosophy – DEMANDS that all the players SHARE IDENTICAL GAME MENTALITY, UNDERSTANDING OF TEAM’ STRENGTHS/LIMITATIONS, HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL PLAY AND SHOW COMPETITIVE LEADERSHIP. For example, one of the major defence features in SA football should be ‘ball pressing‘(high, midfield and own scoring zone). The equalizing goal scored by Algeria was the result of not pressurizing Brahimi (Algeria’s most prolific play-maker) at the moment when he delivered the deadly pass). Certain national team players aren’t developed/trained in the concept of ‘ball-pressing’ and this proves to be very costly. The SA playing philosophy would require that the team consistently CONTROLS PLAY before scoring, after scoring and whenever is behind. The way to do it is by LIMITING OPPONENTS’ USE OF THE BALL through keeping possession intelligently and effectively. Again, this is not yet fully developed in SA players’ mentality and last night, a very average Algeria, took advantage of it. The POSITIVE fact though is that there is PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT AND MUCH BETTER PLAYERS’ ATTITUDE. As the effort to implement a genuine, valuable and unique SA football identity at ALL levels of youth development and professional football is underway, Bafana Bafana WILL make international success a REALITY.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 09:46:08 +0000
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