I have seen the future. Don’t call the asylum just yet; let me explain. The future I am talking about is that of the next Bafana Bafana team that will win the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). Certain details are still sketchy, though.
The light was probably supplied by the good people at Eskom because it didn’t last that long. I caught just a glimpse of Bafana lifting the coveted trophy without seeing where (but it wasn’t Gabon) or who was the coach.
What I saw is that the core of that squad was made up of our version of the Dream Team doing duty at the Olympics in Brazil. I'm not saying this because of their draw with Brazil. That would be naive. Rather because of the progress I've seen since they met in July last year to play Zimbabwe at Rufaro Stadium in Harare in the second round of the Olympic qualifiers.
Owen da Gama assembled a group of players who were at the crossroads of their careers. There was Kwanda Mngonyama, who was going to be sent on a third loan spell by Mamelodi Sundowns to Maritzburg United before even having an opportunity to kick a ball for the Brazilians. Keagan Dolly was about to kick the ball a lot for the Brazilians, fulfilling the potential he showed at Ajax Cape Town, with his game growing because of the high demands at Chloorkop. Siphelele Ntshangase was starting to grow too big for the first division, having already made his debut for the senior national team.
That desire to take their game to the next level brought them together. A decision by Safa and the PSL to support the team for the Olympics saw Da Gama take a strong squad to Senegal for the qualifiers. They repaid them by returning with a bronze medal and a ticket to Brazil.
I remember before they went to Senegal or even played against Zimbabwe, after beating Egypt in a friendly in Clermont in June, the Egyptian coach asked whether these players were really an Under-23 side. He said they would go far.
They've made huge strides, winning the Cosafa Cup. The good thing is that there is a large pool of U-23 players to choose from. Only four players - Mngonyama, Dolly, Abbubaker Mobara and Aubrey Modiba - from the starting XI that played against Zimbabwe are in Brazil. The likes of Phakamani Mahlambi, Tyroane Sandows, Mothobi Mvala, Rivaldo Coetzee and Lebogang Mothiba caught this train when it was moving and fitted in well.
Had it not been for a knee injury, Mahlambi would have been tormenting defenders in Brazil with his pace. But there were plenty of capable replacements to choose from.
It’s a situation that would please any coach. Da Gama's side isn’t the only junior national team in a comfortable position. Thabo Senong will also be taking a talented U-20 group to the African Youth Championships (AYC) in Zambia next year. The core of that group played in the U-17 World Cup in Chile. If things are done correctly, by the time they are at U-23 level they will have played six years of international football - possibly two World Cups and the Olympics, as this will be their second AYC. Molefi Ntseki, at Under-17 level, took them to their first AYC. He is starting that journey all over again with another generation of Amajimbos that returned from Namibia with a silver medal in the U-17 Cosafa Cup.
In the meantime, David Notoane has led the U-19 side to the final of the Durban U-19 International Tournament where they will take on Arsenal. Other teams at the tournament included TP Mazembe from the DRC, Brazil’s Fluminense and Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon. This is something of a golden age for our junior national teams holding their own against the best in the world.
After many years of lacking direction, the country has found its compass in nurturing young talent at national team level. That talent needs to be protected properly to ensure that this generation graduates to the next level as a group.
If it was up to me, coaches would move up from U-17 to U-20, then U-23, with the same team for continuity. But the good working relationship between the coaches makes up for that.
Now you can call that asylum. But make sure you get me a room with a view and a TV set. I have African champions in waiting to cheer for.