No Pirates, No Chiefs, No Sundowners. Gordon Igesund's African Nations Championship plans in disarray

Trouble brewing: Gordon Igesund's Cup of
Coffee approach may not work this time

The traditional Christmas “ho, ho, ho” has been notably absent in the Igesund household since Friday.

Bafana Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund’s preparations for the African Nations Championship were thrown in to disarray at the end of last week when the PSL shook up their January fixtures, a move which is likely to leave hosts South Africa with a severely depleted squad.

Igesund, who’s never been one to mince his words, is supposed to name his 23-man squad for the CHAN tournament tomorrow. He growled: “There is nothing we can do. I have to prepare for this tournament not knowing who I can pick. It’s not an ideal situation.”

The CHAN tournament – limited to players from the domestic leagues around Africa – should have been a showcase for South African football’s resurgence and the PSL, recognised as one of the most lucrative leagues on the continent.

Bafana will play all their Group A games at the Cape Town Stadium, starting with Mozambique on January 11, then Mali on the 15^thand Nigeria on the 19th. The final is scheduled for Cape Town again on February 1.

With Orlando Pirates reaching the African Champions League Final against Egypt’s Al Ahly, the tournament was seen as perfectly timed for Igesund to continue the nation’s footballing revival after the rousing 1-0 win over world No 1 Spain.

Instead, it appears Bafana will have little chance against the likes of Nigeria, Libya, Congo and Ghana in a 16-team tournament which is NOT being played on FIFA dates, allowing clubs to withdraw their players at will.

Igesund explains: “Look, we had come to a compromise. There was the orginal agreement where I was told I couldn’t pick players from Pirates, Ajax Cape Town, SuperSport United and AmaZulu because they would be playing league games.

“Now we have these new fixtures and I can’t even comment on it.”

The PSL fixtures now rule out participation from the PSL’s top two sides, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs, which this statement of explanation offered on Friday: “Due to the heavy backlog created by the progression of Orlando Pirates in the Champion League, it was decided postponed matches would be played in January to avoid fixture congestion.

“In addition, both Chiefs and SuperSport will be playing in the 2014 CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup in February.”

Dominic Chimhavi, the SAFA spokesman, clearly aligns himself with Igesund: “We expect the original agreement to stand and we don’t expect anybody to abrogate it. Only Pirates, Amazulu, Ajax and SuperSport should be affected.

“This is the second biggest tournament on the continent as as hosts, we have to use our best players on home soil.”

With a friendly against Botswana including a three-day camp planned to culminate on Saturday, Igesund said: “I submitted a list of 23 players to the Danny Jordaan last week. He went into a meeting with the PSL and I’m waiting to hear the outcome of that. I need clarity, but from what I can tell, there has been a compromise. It’s been a big challenge because I’ve already changed my team five or six times.”

If the PSL refuse to relent, Igesund could turn to a few of the old guard – particularly Matthew Booth and Moeneeb Josephs, who have helped make third-placed BidestWits the best defence in the PSL this season.

But dreams of a super-team from the top echelon of the PSL appear to be in tatters. Still, it could be worse. Last I heard, Steve Keshi’s Nigeria haven’t even got kit to play in at CHAN.

BOLLOCKZ! my own football show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ballz charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

EXCLUSIVE: IF THEY WANT ME TO GO, WHO'S SAFE? Orlando Pirates boss Roger de Sa on three finals, Dauda and CHAN

Roger that: De Sa will not quit

ROGER DE SA responded to demands for his head today with characteristic aplomb, saying: “If they want me to go, who’s safe?”

Talking on my football show BOLLOCKZ! on www.ballz.co.za this morning (see video below), the Orlando Pirates coach insisted he was “satisfied” with his club’s unique achievement of reaching THREE cup finals before Christmas.

And the 49-year-old former international goalkeeper insists he aims to reach ALL FOUR finals on offer this season – while lifting his side off the foot of the PSL as they make up a huge shortfall in fixtures after their African Champions League crusade.

Following Saturday’s defeat in the Telkom KO in Mbombela the social networks have been awash with calls for De Sa’s resignation with the 2-1 loss coming on top of defeat in the MTN8 and African Champions League finals.

Though he picked up over R13m in prize money for reaching those three finals, De Sa accepts: “Look, you’re never going to stop people from talking, that’s the way it is. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. Whatever they want to say.

“But obviously yeah, look, I’m doing the job the best I can. We’ve had a fair amount of success. I’d like to finish it off, unfortunately we haven’t. Not for the lack of trying. Not that we’ve played badly.

“The guys are doing the best they can in a very congested season so far.

“I’m satisfied with what we’ve achieved, obviously I’m disappointed we haven’t won anything. Financially the club did well. We know we’re one step away from massive success.

On the day arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs extended Stuart Baxter's contract until 2016, De Sa insists: “All we can do is keep on trying – and working towards the next cup final. Only two coaches have ever reached every cup final. I’ve got one more (the Nedbank Cup) to come!

“If they’re saying I must go, who’s safe? I won’t worry about the others. I’ve got to worry about myself and the job I’ve got to do.

“It’s not just the results, it’s the way we played, what we’ve achieved. I think about that all the time. In all three finals, I don’t believe we deserved to lose any of them. We weren’t out-played. In all three of them we had opportunities.

“My job is to make sure we play as well as we can. If a guy misses a goal, I can’t do anything about that, I’m on the sidelines.

“We’ve got to keep going, get to the next final. Our football has been pretty good, especially in Africa. The goal from Ngele to win it for Platinum Stars on Saturday was a cracker, you don’t often see that in South African football. Got to take my hat off to that. It’s good for the game.

“Before Ngele’s goals we should have sealed the game off a few times. We had chances.

“It’s a South African sickness. Who’re you going to blame? You’re not going to blame the superstar guy, with his poster on your wall. You’re going to blame the coach.

Ironically, Pirates restart their PSL campaign against Allan Freese’s Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Palace on Monday. Roger laughs: “I’ve thought hard about that. It might be the best thing that could have happened to us. At least now we’re playing the team that beat us in two cup finals.

“It should be easy to motivate them this time! Improve a few things in some areas, then have another go."

With Pirates technical director Stanley “Screamer” Tshabalala going public with demands Ghana No1 Fatau Dauda MUST play in goal on Monday, De Sa said: “Dauda is working extremely hard, he’s always in contention. The one thing that didn’t work in his favour was he wasn’t registered for the African Champions League. We had a lot of games where we had to be sure Brighton Mlongo and Senzo Meyiwa available.

“Senzo’s done a fantastic job. And Brighton is one for the future, no doubt about it.

“You need three goalkeepers. Dauda is playing right now in the second half of our training match. We are aware he needs to play to secure his place in the Ghana national team for the World Cup next year.

“But our priority is Pirates. We can’t worry too much about Ghana. Obviously, we’re not going to NOT give him an opportunity if the situation arises. The sooner the better. We WILL give him a chance.”

That could come during next month’s CHAN tournament, with Bafana Bafana only permitted to use players from their domestic league. On form, Pirates might expect to have as many as eight players in Gordon Igesund’s squad.

But will Pirates be happy to release players for the tournament, given that they are currently five or six games behind their rivals?

Roger admits: “We don’t know yet, we’re still waiting for the meeting between CAF and the PSL to see what the ruling’s going to be. I’m almost certain NONE of the clubs will want to release their players, particularly Pirates with such a congested fixture list.

“We’re probably going to be playing every third day – we don’t want to be caught short. It puts us in a very difficult position, we are aware of it. That’s why we’re trying to play these friendlies, to look at fringe players, make sure we have the depth to be competitive.”

BOLLOCKZ! my own football show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel onwww.youtube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ballz charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

Three finals, three defeats: but Roger de Sa has made R13m in prize money for Orlando Pirates

Roger that: Pirates boss De Sa

ORLANDO PIRATES fans, reeling from a THIRD cup final defeat before Christmas, took to the social networks on Saturday night to vent their understandable anger after a SECOND consecutive failed showdown against modest Platinum Stars.

Penalties divided the teams in the MTN8 final in Durban at the end of September. On Saturday night in Mbombela, super-sub Mogakolodi Ngele’s late brace kept the Crocodiles smiling in the Telkom KO. And of course, those two domestic finals were split by the two-legged African Champions failure against mighty Egyptians Al Ahly.

Attempts to cheer up the boo-hooing Ghost proved fruitless. But you have to try. As a player, as a coach, as a fan, losing a semi-final is far more gut-wrenching than a final I said. But no, “we’ve been humiliated three times, the final is worse” the bitter Bucca chanted.

When it was suggested Kaizer Chiefs would LOVE to play in a final this season when their arch-rivals have played in THREE, I was shouted down again. Apparently reaching a final is, for Pirates fans, worse than going out in the semi-final – or even the first round.

For Roger de Sa, with Steve Komphela and Ruud Krol lurking in the unemployment queue, there appears to be no logical way out. Though Komphela’s unplanned Free State Stars exit was no more deliberate than Krol leaving CS Faxien claiming bonus non-payment, both men are eminentaly capable of taking over at a Pirates side still stuck at the foot of the PSL with all those games in hand.

Even the economic argument, usually the old reliable in these debates, failed to impress. Look at this: As Telkom Knock-out runners-up, Orlando Pirates won R1 750 000. For the African Champions League, second place meant R10 350 000. In the “winner takes all” MTN8, they took home R800 000 like the other six non-finalists.

Lovable little Allan Freese might have won R10 250 000 for his Dikwena with two cup wins but De Sa can rightly claim to have bought over R13 000 000 into the coffers while giving Pirates fans THREE separate occasions to celebrate a final showdown.

And then there’s De Sa himself. Unfazed by the storm breaking around him, he shrugged off yet another gigantic disappointment and said: “Football can be a cruel game. But Ngele’s winner was a cracker, no doubt about that.

“It’s a sad moment. It’s missed chances, we should have scored sealed the game off with another goal. When you are holding a 1-0 lead, there’s always a chance you could concede. We just didn’t finish it off.

“You have to keep going. What do you do after losing three cup finals? You move on to the next one and win that.”

Ironically those could be his last words as Pirates boss. Time – and Dr Irvin Khoza – will tell.

BOLLOCKZ! my own football show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ballz charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

Still propping up the PSL: Why BOTTOM-TO-THE-TOP may prove a tough task for Orlando Pirates

Plundering the Pirates: Ernst Middendorp and crew

THE full scale of Orlando Pirates monumental “bottom-to-the-top” campaign was painfully mapped out for the Buccaneers on Saturday night.

After that draining African Champions League crusade, Roger de Sa’s side were STILL in the fight for the Q1 prize until Bloemfontein Celtic turned up in Orlando.

But on a day of great entertainment – which also saw Kaizer Chiefs go top of the PSL – the mediocre Siwelele raised their game to new heights.

Coach Ernst Middendorp admitted after their shock 3-2 away win: “Look, I spoke at half-time to the players, our first-half was the best I’ve seen in the PSL this season. And I'm traveling a lot, I go to Pretoria, I go watch matches in Pietermaritzburg, and all over.

"We are probably one of the only teams really playing with two up front, we create chances and sometimes the best defence is moving forward. Now our back-four operates as a compact unit, and one of our secrets is that we were very solid at the back."

"Then in the second half, we showed that fighting spirit we've been asking for and I'm very very, very happy for my team. Today’s result was full deserved.”

And there’s Roger’s problem. Though his side learned a lot on their continental crusade, they return to the hurly-burly of domestic football with EVERY side in the country eager to keep the bustling Buccaneers below them.

De Sa himself accepts: “How poor was that? We were too relaxed. In the first half we were horrendous. The second half was a little bit better but still not good enough.

"There might be a little bit of fatigue setting in, and some of the new players not up to it. We have to throw new players in and Mbongeni Gumede had some good moments, but it’s still a learning curve.

“No excuses, they were better than us, they wanted it more than us, and we've got to do a lot better.”

It remains the case that Pirates could go on an epic journey from the bottom to the top of the PSL – if they WON all those five or six games in hand they could still sneak above Chiefs – but De Sa is now aware of just how tough that task will be after five games have earned them a mere seven points.

They don’t have another PSL game until they travel to dangerous youngsters Ajax Cape Town on the 11^th, so they’re going to be rock-bottom for some time yet. On Saturday at 8.15pm in Mbombela they’ve got Platinum Stars in the Telkom KO final – a repeat of the MTN8 final they lost on penalties in Durban earlier in the season.

With the African Champions League and MTN8 both lost at the last hurdle, De Sa says: “I’m hardly delighted about that but at least we know where the finishing line is. It’s got to be third time lucky for us.”

I suspect he’s right. But a TelkomKO triumph will only prove a temporary solution. The PSL has rarely been more competitive. Being bottom of the table is no elephant in the room. It’s a raging bull for Roger.

BOLLOCKZ! my own football show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ballz charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

Two finals, one trophy. And it isn't even December yet. The delightfully cool Allan Freese on Platinum Stars, giant-killing and contract-signing

Slayer-in-Chief: Allan Freese

THERE is a delightful coolness to Allan Earl Freese as his Platinum Stars ice-berg continues to sink the Titanic giants of South African football.

Super-cool. Distinctly unfashionable. No contract. Sharp as a razor. The ultimate Caretaker Manager. Everyone thought last year’s PSL runners-up were in for a Phokeng struggle this season after Cavin Johnson decamped for SuperSport United.

Instead, Freese stepped up from assistant boss to guide his side past Orlando Pirates to the MTN8 trophy before, on Saturday night, he engineered a shock 1-0 defeat of double-winning Kaizer Chiefs to take his side to an unprecedented second cup final in his first season in charge.

Now 57, Freese had his moments as a player. I watched the AmaKhosi beaten with SABC analyst Desh Bhaktawer on Saturday night. The former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper explained: “Freesy was a fair player. I remember in the old days at Arcadia Shepherds, Stan Lapot rated him as one of the top left backs in the country.”

The Rock: Allan's brother
Howard captained Chiefs

Driving happily down the highway of unexpected success on the North West’s N4 on Sunday, Freese laughs at the memory. “Yes, I got the SMS from Deshi after the game. Those were good days! But this season I’m having fun. My brother Howard (“The Rock” captained Kaizer Chiefs, Allan went to Orlando Pirates) just called me. He said: ‘It wasn’t Kaizer Chiefs playing badly, it was Platinum Stars playing well. That was the difference.’ And I think he’s right.

“I have got a bunch of guys who play for each other at Stars, not individuals. Everyone can surprise me, not just Robert N’gambi (their Malawian top scorer) – how about Thabiso Semenya popping up with his first goal?

“We’re playing good football. People seem to forget that, they concentrate on how badly the other side are playing. But we beat Gavin Hunt’s Bidvest Wits home and away in the MTN8 semi-finals, we won the final on penalties against a Pirates side doing well in Africa… and we beat champions Chiefs fair and square.”

Despite breaking a seven-year trophy drought and keeping his side in the running for the PSL title while reaching the Telkom KO final at Mbombela on December 7, Freese remains on the assistant coach’s contract he signed two seasons at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.

With Orlando Pirates looming in a repeat of the MTN8 final, he laughs: “I’ve been in to see the chairman a few times, we’ve talked about a new contract, but I’m doing okay without one. You know how football is. I got a pay rise, so did my assistant Willem Jackson.

“If you think I deserve better, you’ll have to say that. I couldn’t possibly comment!”

So I will. Dikwena football manager Senzo Mazingisa says the creeping crocodiles, funded by BaPhokeng King Leruo’s platinum profits, won’t offer Freese a contract until May.

That’s fine. By that time, Freese will have quite a CV I suspect. And other clubs will be looking. How do you  reward a man who has already picked up a trophy and reached two cup finals before December?

By offering him a much BETTER deal than the one he would have signed five months ago as the quiet understudy assuming control. There’s an icy sense of justice in that for Mr Freeze.

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ball's charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

SuperSport United boss Cavin Johnson on Pirates, Pule and the problems that beset South African football

LOST DECADE: Jabu Pule in action for Chiefs, 2003

CAVIN JOHNSON insists his SuperSport United troops can upset Orlando Pirates in the Telkom Knock-out semi-final today.

SuperSport United coach Johnson, talking on my football show BOLLOCKZ! on www.ballz.co.za, said: “ I think we can take them. We have to give them respect, you can call them the Southern African champions right now after what they did in the African Champions League.

“We lost to them in the MTN8 on penalties, we allowed them back in to the game after going 1-0 up. But my players knew they were in with a chance.

“Pirates have gone and played a lot in Africa but I think we have a chance, we’re at home. The one thing I’ve taken notice of is how well Pirates played in the Champions League but the local game is a much faster game.

“We’ve prepared ourselves way, analysed their weaker points, we are ready. We’ve done everything we can.

“Chiefs or my old clubs Platinum Stars in the final? It really doesn’t matter!”

Johnson (see video below) also touched on the return of Jabu Pule to football – he is training with the SuperSport squad but at 33, can he make a footballing comeback after three years in retirement?

Johnson said: “Jabu is involved as an ex-player, trying to change the mentality of the people in Atteridgeville. We want to take the neighbourhood and make it ours. Draw the fans.

“But at the moment Jabu is training with us to get fit. It’s my own personal thing: everybody deserves a second chance.

“For what he’s done, I’ve known him for a while, going on television talking about drugs, drink, women – for me that’s a good sign. But if he gets a relapse he’s really in the kak.

“We use him as an amabassador for the club at the moment but Neal, he still has talent hey. He’s like Maradona, Gascoigne.”

Johnson was singularly unimpressed by Gordon Igesund’s latest international success, insisting:

“The 1-0 Bafana win over Spain did not excite me. I was at Soccer City on Tuesday. It does nothing for me, it does nothing for the country.

“I’m happy we beat the world champions but we needed to qualify for the World Cup. Spain didn’t come out of the starting blocks. And I don’t think Spain will go well in Brazil either, look at the Germans, Dutch, South Americans, they’re all flying.

“And yes, Khune did play well against Spain but with all respect, yah, wrong time. How about when we were playing the bloody Ethiopians. What mentality did we have. Walk in the park? You know what I’m saying?

“This is a South African problem. We have all the facilities, the best league in Africa, but we have a low grade mentality. It’s going to take a lot more than just natural footballers to fix that up. It’s going to take a generation of intelligent mothers and fathers to get it right.

“Now when I sign a player, I tell them I want to see their parents, the brothers and sisters. I want to know what kind of mentality they have, what support system, this is what I’m going to do with ALL the players I sign from now on.

“I want to see who they’re messing around with, whether they have played in the PSL for 20 years or are just coming up.

“With all respect, we have to lose now in order to win later. I cannot run players for two seasons, and then kick him out. That’s not fair.

“We have to change the culture of South African football.  I can get foreigners to kick the hell out of everyone, some gorillas to boot the opposition. Look at them, they earn a lot of money in this country. That’s easy.

“I’ll give you an example. When I was at Platinum Stars and we played in Bloemfontein or Durban, their families would be waiting by the bus with their hands out. Not to greet them, but to say “put the money in my hand”.

“That for me is frightening. I’m preparing the boys for football but they’re scared of having to hand out their money to their parents. They don’t even give moral support to these boys, they say they have no bread at home, no money at home.

“They say “give us the money now” they don’t care about football. We need people to understand that. The generation coming up have to master that like the Brazilians. They have worse problems than we do.”

“It happens to every country. Took them 25 years to win a World Cup but there is a slump immediately afterwards, there’s nothing they can do about that. It’s the beauty of football.

“Look at Germany now. They were ordinary 10-15 years ago, now look at the pace they play at. The Spanish game is going down.”

 BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ball's charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

Two good reasons to celebrate Orlando Pirates unexpected progress to the African Champions League final: two clubs, no lasers

Under the spotlight: Senzo Meyiwa is lit up by laser
beams wielded by unruly Al Ahly fans in Cairo

IT took one interview and a quick phone call to finally bring the footballing authorities to THIS startling revelation: Green laser beams are BAD for the African Champions League.

South African viewers on SABC and SuperSport were infuriated during Orlando Pirates 2-0 defeat against mighty Egyptians Al Ahly on Sunday night in Cairo with their players constantly picked out by the annoying green lights.

Annoying? According to the experts (including the Royal Institute for the Blind), the hand-held lasers – smaller than a torch, about the size of a pen – can DAMAGE the sight of footballers targeted by unruly fans.

I made my debut on South Africa’s 24-hour news channel ANN7 today (see video below) and chatted to Peter van Onselen on his brand new lunch-time news show Express Lunch, making the point that lasers are BANNED in European sports stadiums (and in the US and Australia, though apparently it’s still a problem in Latin America).

Following a spate of idiots shining lasers in the eyes of airline pilots at major airports, injudicious use of the “laser lights” – originally developed to assist army snipers and marketed as a tool for university lecturers to highlight salient points to students – now involves heavy fines and even jail sentences.

But despite the use of lasers in Pirates’ two group games in Egypt and in the semi-final against Esperance in Tunisia, CAF chose to erm… turn a blind eye.

It was only thanks to complaints from sports minister Fikile Mbalula and Buccaneers coach Roger de Sa that I was able to call new SAFA president Danny Jordaan after my ANN7 interview and ask: What will be done?

Danny told me: “Yes, we are aware of the problem and the outcry around the country about the lasers in Cairo. We are writing a letter of complaint to CAF and FIFA about their use.”

Like me, Jordaan is concerned that nobody was searched going in to the ground and the stewards did not act against the fans using the lasers at the jam-packed Arab Contractors Stadium. He said: "This is on the record, I'm happy for you to put this out. We had to act."

With any luck, Jordaan’s complaint – the 2010 World Cup organiser has real influence at CAF and FIFA – will enable Kaizer Chiefs to represent South Africa in the 2014 African Champions League without that particular problem.

But there are other reasons for South Africans to celebrate Orlando Pirates’ epic crusade through the continent over the past six months. Amid the debate between the AmaKhosi and the Ghost over just how much celebrating we should be doing around a final defeat, it’s worth noting that the FOUR points Pirates earned for losing in Cairo will earn an automatic second place in the Champions League in 2015.

And if Kaizer Chiefs (and Platinum Stars in the Confederations Cup) get to the group stages, South Africa are guaranteed a second major rise up the CAF club rankings in 2016 after a decade in the doldrums.

The current top twelve, in order and based on results over the past five years in both CAF competitions, looks like this: Tunisia, Egypt, Nigeria, Sudan, Morocco, DRC, Algeria, Mali, Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Ghana

But Pirates unexpected progress via the Comores, Zambia, DRC (though we never got to see it on the television), Congo, Tunisia and Egypt (thrice) means South Africa should move ahead of both Ghana (11 points) and Cameroon (12 points) next year.

For that reason alone, Roger de Sa and his Pirates deserve credit. But it won’t come easy. Given their current position in the PSL (they’re rock-bottom) and a seven-match streak in the Champions League which ended LLDDDDL, he’s already under pressure as the fireworks cool in Cairo.

But if the Buccaneers WIN all their six or seven games in hand, they can go five points clear of current leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. It's a big IF. But that might quiet the critics. Roger that.

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ball's charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

Brave defeat for Orlando Pirates in Cairo: let's not go from Roger That to Roger And Out just yet

Flare: Al Ahly fans with their fireworks

GUTTED. Great job, never out-played. Heads high. Those were my words sizzling across the cellular network to Roger de Sa in Cairo as the whistle blew among the fireworks and green lasers in Cairo on Sunday night.

For Orlando Pirates, just getting to the final was unthinkable six short months ago, as the former double-treble champions stumbled home third behind arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the domestic title race.

To take Al Ahly, now eight times champions, to the very limit in the final was never on the schedule. Proof? Irvin Khoza and his PSL are in a shambles. Even the club and league chairman didn’t expect to get past the notorious TP Mazembe, run by one of the good Doctor’s dodgier pals.

But they did. The Comores, Zambia, DRC… then in the group stages two Egyptian giants and the Congo champions. Incredibly, they squeezed past Tunisia’s Esperance in the semi-finals too.

But to beat reigning champions Al Ahly proved half a step too far for Roger de Sa’s men. A bunch of experienced thirtysomething internationals with more stars than most galaxies was simply too much.

With Happy Jele and Andile Jali suspended for the second leg after a mediocre 1-1 draw in Orlando, it fell to the fast and furious Tlou Segolela to miss the chance of the night. Sadly, the Gautrain’s head can’t keep up with his feet. We knew that. He fluffed his header off Daine Klate’s perfect first-half cross.

Pyramid scheme: Wael Gomaa lifts the trophy

And up front, Lennox Bacela’s one chance flew across the face of the goal and by the time Collins Mbesuma came on for the last hurrah, the game was lost. Muhammed Aboutreika scored in both legs. He was the difference. The second goal was a luxury for the Egyptians.

Roger said he’d “have a go for sure” but even with the Egyptians down to ten for the dying minutes amid those annoying – and illegal – lasers, there was to be no consolation, just a grim 2-0 defeat, 3-1 on aggregate.

Within minutes, the more ridiculous members of our deeply confused football community were calling for Roger’s head. And 1995 match-winner Jerry Sikhosana told us, with a sad nod to beaten 2002 finalist Simba Maruma: “Nobody remembers the side finishing second.”

He’s right of course. But the sharper analysts will have seen how, in six short months, Pirates learned a lot from their African crusade. They play better, shorter football. They possess the ball jealously, like top European sides. And in Oupa Manyisa, they have a player who showed endless quality in the middle of the park with Vieira Masalesa ready to step up behind him.

If Pirates – bottom of the table after three games - were to win all their six or seven games in hand, they’d go five clear of current leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. It might happen.

But whatever happens, to go from ROGERTHAT to ROGEROUT is as ridiculous as calling for the head of Kaizer Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter after his epic 2-1 win over serious challengers Bidvest Wits on Saturday night.

Calm people. Pirates did the nation proud. Double-winning Chiefs take on Africa next year. They need our support, not hysterical derision.

PS: Will CAF do anything about those bloody lasers?

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

Mark Fish and Nic Ditshego: South Africa will come to a halt at 6pm tomorrow for Orlando Pirates WIN in Cairo

It's all in the bones: Lennox Bacela

TOMORROW at 6pm. Probably the most important 90 minutes in the post World Cup history of South African football. Orlando Pirates go to Al Ahly in Cairo nursing a last-gasp 1-1 draw in Soweto after the first leg of the CAF African Champions League.

With captain Happy Jele and the inspirational Andile Jali both suspended, I asked coach Roger Paulo Cesar De Sar if 37-year-old Lucky Lekgwathi and young midfielder Lehlogonolo "Vieira" Masalesa would start. SMSing from Cairo, "De Star" joked: "They have to, we can't start with nine players!"

That's how desperate it's become for the Buccaneers, who have somehow defied the odds (and Francophile CAF officialdom) to survive torrid journeys to the Comores, Zambia, DRC, Congo and Egypt (twice) to reach their final showdown.

The search for the second star is little different from the first one in 1995 though. On BOLLOCKZ! this week we spoke to living legend Mark Fish about the similarities 18 years on.

Fiiiiiiiish told us on www.ballz.co.za how, in 1995, he "finally learned that muti works" as the Pirates overcame ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast in Abidjan after a 2-2 home draw.

He spoke of Jerry Sikhozana's 73rd minute winner and laughed: "Some people say I played the ball through to him... that's not quite true. It was a clearance, a HOOF! Then two of their defenders ran in to each other because they'd had so little to do. And that was it, Jerry finished, we held on, and we were CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA!

"It was unbelievable, and these Pirates tomorrow have the chance to do the same, to become legends of the game."

After Zwee Maphala's efforts as a Kaizer Chiefs fan last week, we then spoke to die-hard Pirates fan Nic Ditshego about the Pirates quest - and he left us in no doubt.


Nic said: "I've supported Orlando Pirates for as long as I can remember. Very tense moments last Saturday at Orlando Stadium, a lot of people had left when Matlaba scored his magnificent equaliser.

"I don't agree with the big send off, it reminds me of the Bafana parade in Sandton before 2010! But now they're in Cairo, with about 100 black-blooded supporters.

"I had a few Chiefs supporters along with me at Orlando. It's beautiful, we have probably the most unique band of fans anywhere in the world. We all get on.

"At six o'clock tomorrow, I'll be sitting in my full regalia - you know how that looks - shouting for my team. We need this. Let's forget about Manchester United and Arsenal for two hours, take a peek at the score, but everything else comes to a halt.

"We're going to see Lennox Bacela take that one goal, and that's it. That's how we do this!"


See his interview below:

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

Oh, and here's my chat with the brilliant Vieira Masalesa a few weeks ago:

African Champions League final: Pirates go to Cairo with a fighting chance thanks to a moment of Matlaba magic

Relief of Orlando: Thabo Matlaba celebrates
his late equaliser on Saturday night

THERE was only one place to be on Saturday night. Orlando. The Pirates. Our African Champions League finalists reaching for the stars, uniting the football-speaking nation.

Trains shooting past, blaring their hooters in support, motorways laced with the skull and crossbones, a packed house of 38,000, an army in black and white, interspersed with those in gold and black adding their voices to the national clamour for a second star.

The stage has rarely been better set, whether you prefer the ear-splitting choir of vuvuzelas or a rousing rendition of Shosoloza.

But much like their successful quest for continental domination in 1995, the home leg of the final was not quite what the nation had hoped for. A 1-1 draw in Soweto.

LEGEND: With 1995 final-winner Jerry Sikhosana
at Orlando Stadium on Saturday

When they drew the home leg of the final 2-2 against Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas 13 years ago, coach Joe Frickleton was sacked before the second leg and few expected that dramatic away win, courtesy of Jerry Sikhosana’s unforgettable 73^rd minute strike.

But Thabo Matlaba’s stunning last-gasp equaliser on Saturday night offers, as I said to coach Roger de Sa immediately after it went in, “a fighting chance” for a side increasingly adept at grabbing draws from the jaws of defeat.

Ah, Drawlando. Their last six Champions League games go LLDDDD. Though the Buccaneers dominated possession – they enjoyed around 68% of the ball - and got plenty of crosses in to the box from Tlou Segolela and Daine Klate, I don’t remember an isolated and impotent Lennox Bacela winning anything in the danger area.

In midfield, the great Andile Jali looked a shadow of his former self, losing possession and growing ever more sluggish as the game against champions and seven-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt wore on. Egypt’s No1 goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy was really stretched only once, brilliantly denying Jali with a strong right hand at full-stretch.

In midfield, Oupa Manyisa pulled the strings and centre-backs Rooi Mahamutsa and Ayanda Gcaba took enormous risks in an effort to push forward after Mohamed Aboutrika’s free-kick had given the visitors a shock lead with a perfectly-placed free-kick from 25 metres.

To be frank, even the too-little-too-late arrival of experienced Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma looked unlikely to save the Pirates, who were lucky to escape a second Al Ahly goal, Ahmed El-Zaher’s effort unfairly ruled offside early in the second half.

Matlaba’s last-gasp effort was as unexpected as it was welcome. Mr De Star insisted afterwards: "We didn’t just sit back, we were offensive, we pushed midfielders in to the attack, we used real wingers, not wide midfielders.

“For the 90 minutes we kept on trying, we didn’t resort to long balls. We didn’t lose our heads. We were patient, we built it up.”

Ultimately, a 1-1 draw – their fourth successive stalemate in the African Champions League – was a highly fortunate result though the frustrated Pirates can rightly claim to have been the better side.

They go to Cairo with captain Happy Jele and midfielder Jali suspended - but the out-of-favour Lucky Lekgwathi and Vieira Masalesa offer obvious replacements.

De Star said: "We still have a fighting chance. There were plenty of coaches in the ground tonight, but I enjoyed it. We showed character, we can turn this around in Cairo next Sunday.

"I don't know if there's a limit to what this lot can achieve, but they just keep pushing. Look, it’s going to be very difficult there’s no doubt about it, but we’ll go there to win."

Truth is, they don’t need to. A 2-2 draw will earn a second star on away goals. 1-1 will force extra-time and penalties. 0-0 will see Al Ahly retain their African crown on that single free-kick, their only real shot on goal away from home.

But to end it as they did in Abidjan 13 years ago, with a win against all the odds, would be a perfect finish to an exhausting Mission Improbable. They have the talent. They have the squad. But do they have the experience against the gritty Egyptians in front of their first real home crowd in months?

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

BOLLOCKZ to BOOING! Shakes Kungwane weighs in on the big Kaizer Chiefs debate PLUS Daily Mail Grapevine columnist Rob Shepherd on Ballz visual radio

Safe hands: Deshi
Bhaktawer in Ballz studio

KAIZER CHIEFS fan Zwee Maphala (www.twitter.com/mazweni7) stirred a hornet's nest on www.ballz.co.za this week when he volunteered to go live on BOLLOCKZ! to present the case that the AmaKhozi are RIGHT to boo players.

Zwee, a lifelong Chiefs fan, admits to crying and "kicking the coffee table" when his side loses, but his argument (concisely put on the video below) is that fans pay for their tickets and have a right to boo Kingston Nkhatha when he is not performing.

With Chiefs double-winning boss Stuart Baxter saying such fans are "childish" as he defended his Zimbabwean striker, Zwee bravely stuck to his guns, insisting: "How do we get the coach to listen to the fans? This is our way of getting his attention."





Former Kaizer Chiefs player and SuperSport football analyst Shakes Kungwane (www.twitter.com/shege10) disputed that, saying: "Under no circumstances should players boo their own players. It ruins the players' confidence. It's not on."

With former Orlando Pirates and SABC analyst Deshi Bhaktawer (www.twitter.com/deshibhaktawer) in the studio nodding in agreement, Shakes also came out in support of the Buccaneers' African Champions League campaign, with the first leg played at a sold-out Orlando Stadium tonight.





The www.dailymail.co.uk Grapevine columnist Rob Shepherd (www.twitter.com/robshepherd5) gave BOLLOCKZ! viewers and listeners the lowdown on the week's European action and interacted brilliantly with Deshi - even promising to give the African Champions League a mention in his column this week!

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

BIGGER GAME NEXT WEEK: the ultimate Soweto Derby verdict from Orlando Pirates boss Roger de Star

The one that got away: Kingston Nkhatha

A single SMS from Orlando Pirates boss Roger de Sa says it all about Saturday’s controversial Soweto derby: “Like before. Bigger game next week.”

With Saturday night’s African Champions League final first leg looming, Kaizer Chiefs fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Kingston Nkhatha’s off-side equaliser  – clearly scored with a little help from linesman Enoch Molefe’s unflagging support – will not be the subject of intense scrutiny for the rest of the week.

Roger and his Buccaneers have bigger fish to fry.

The final against champions and seven-time African champions Al Ahly – this Saturday in Orlando and the next Saturday in Egypt – is all that matters to the Buccaneers.

Roger is far more interested in picking out the raft of veteran Ah Ahly players who have said they will retire after the showdown, and in the news that their goalkeeper Sherif Ekrami stands accused of “faking injury” during Egypt’s lamentable 6-1 World Cup qualifying defeat against Ghana a fortnight ago.

That’s why Roger didn’t even both getting involved in the off-side debate while twitter got itself in a twist of “Enoch, Enoch. Who’s There? Kingston Nkhatha” jokes on the internet and the role referee Victor Hlungwayo played in the PSL encounter.

It’s not like refereeing controversy is new to the Soweto Derby. This year alone, we have had Major’s off-side effort in the Carling Cup final and Morgan Gould’s penalised “push” in the MTN8 semi-final.

Instead, Roger chooses to highlight the positive, saying: "Hopefully we can do our nation proud on Saturday – I’m even hoping to see a lot of yellow jerseys at Orlando, supporting us!”

Getting the message: Roger's SMS on Saturday

With Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter, incredibly, admitting: “If either side had gone for broke, they would have claimed the points,” we had Roger accepting: “We’re happy enough with a draw. It was a fair result from where I was.

"Both teams had chances. They played their game on the counter and we played our passing game, sometimes not as fluidly as usual, but we had our moments.

"It's not a bad result for us, away from home. Maybe next time we will play with fresh legs.”

And really, that’s the point. Orlando Pirates completely outplayed the double-winning South African champions for the first 25 minutes, playing good football.

But those endless flights to the heart of Africa took their toll and by the end, Pirates were happy to accept the Nkhatha injustice and settle for a point which, deceptively, leaves them bottom of the PSL, level with Golden Arrows on four points.

Of course, if they win their five games in hand, they’d go four points clear of current leaders SuperSport United and Moroka Swallows, but that’s for later.

For now, this week, this day, this moment, Roger and his over-worked squad have only one thing in mind. And it’s this: “We haven’t got that star on our shirt yet. That is our priority. That has always been our main aim.”

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!