IT'S BEEN A CRAZY WEEK! Dean Furman on beating Spain for South Africa - and Yeovil for Doncaster. And his first EVER red card!

Iniesta in my pocket: Dean Furman

DEAN FURMAN was in the passport control queue when I got hold of him last week after South Africa’s epic 1-0 win over world champions Spain.

With the new FIFA rankings out on Thursday, 61^st-placed Bafana are expected to move up in the world, but for the 25-year-old Cape Town-born midfielder, this was simply: “One of the highlights of my career. A night I’ll never forget.”

Speaking on my football show BOLLOCKZ! on www.ballz.co.za, Furman laughed loudly when I suggested he had to allow Barcelona great Andres Iniesta out of his pocket for a second-half substitution.

Furman marshalled the World Cup winning Spaniards with some authority and Iniesta – scorer of the winning goal in the final at Soccer City in 2010 – was unable to repeat his heroics at the same stadium with Oupa Manyisa and Andile Jali creating a dynamic midfield trio for the first time.

Though our chat with Furman was rudely interrupted by passport control at Heathrow, his enthusiasm sparkled down the long-distance line.

With Furman and Bongani Khumalo playing for Doncaster Rovers and striker Tokelo Rantie now at Bournemouth, South Africa’s epic victory sparked interested in England too with Furman admitting: “Everone is talking about Bafana now. I’m still scratching my head about how we actually did it but in all honesty we played very well on the night.

“We had a game plan, we sat back and let the Spanish have it in their own half and when they came into ours, we pressed them, tried to catch them on the counter. We’ve got some great players going forward, with real pace.

“We knew that would cause them some problems on the night.

“Up against Alonso, Iniesta, Busquets, then Mata and Cazorla, it didn’t get an easier the whole night but it was a great spectacle, great to come up with a win.

“Against players like that you have to raise your game. Their movement off the ball is spectacular, they’re so clever. Communicating with each other was vital.

“It was unbelievable. For a very proud nation, there have been some disappointments, going out on penalties in the AFCON, not qualifying for the World Cup.

“This was a victory for the fans, the nation. The supporters were all coming up to thank us. It was a great moment for everyone. We can really build from here.”

Furman, who scored before being sent off in his first game back with Doncaster against Yeovil last Friday, grinned: “It’s been a crazy week Neal, great to get a goal and three points but gutted to get my first red!”

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.

Time to support our Bafana Republic. Three against Swaziland is fine. Anything less than a stuffing against Spain will do me

The face of Mr Price: Thabo Nthethe was captain for the
night in Swaziland - and scored his first Bafana goal

Let's get this clear from the start. I have a  problem with pessimists in our Bafana Republic (isn’t that what Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula called us last week?).

Just for starters, how about those twits calling for Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter’s head less than half a season after he became the first foreign coach to win the PSL (and he added the Nedbank Cup double).

They want Baxter out despite making the inspired subsitutions (George Lebese and Lehlohonolo Majoro) to clinch a tricky encounter against Gavin Hunt's Bidvest Wits last week.

And then there are those whinging about Roger De Sa, preferring to focus on Drawlando rather than celebrating the presence of a South African club in the African Champions League final for the first time in a decade. Nonsense. It's not like there are any great contenders to replace the boss at EITHER of the Soweto giants.

And then we come to Bafana. It started within five minutes of the kick-off on the plastic surface of the Somhlolo Stadium on Saturday night.

Our national coach Gordon Igesund was accused of EVERYTHING from a lack of imagination to a one-eyed selection policy. After months of agreeing not to choose pre-occupied Pirates, he filled his squad with Buccaneers and STILL nobody was happy.

It’s madness guys. As Manchester United fans will tell you, keeping faith in a coach is a vital part of any successful football set-up.

I tweeted frantically “keep the faith” though I too was surprised by some of the selections, particularly Thabo Nthethe, playing for leaky Bloemfontein Celtic but made national captain for the night. Apparently it has something to do with his new role as “The Face of Mr Price Sport”.

But after a dreadful first half, Bafana changed things. Igesund said afterwards: “We wanted to start strongly but they parked the bus, put a lot of players behind the ball. We had a chat at half-time about how to get behind them, it worked.”

It sure did. Two goals in as many minutes from Reneilwe “YeahYeah” Letsholonyane and young Bongani Zungu were followed by a well-struck goal from Nthethe himself, his first in national colours.

Could we have asked for anything more? Gordon admitted: “We did want to go for a 4^th, 5^th and 6^th but overall I’m happy with the way we played. We pushed it about, we kept the ball.”

A bit of loyalty, a bit of belief wouldn’t go astray when it comes to Igesund, who capped his 90^th player in just over a year on Friday night as he shuffled the pack for the home-based CHAN tournament early next year.

And of course it’s all change at Soccer City on Tuesday night when World and European champions Spain return to the site of their 2010 World Cup triumph.

Gordon points out: “I’ve got the overseas contingent coming to join us, there will be changes. But I may bring in another one of those who played tonight. I’m worried about Thabo Matlaba's injury. I’ve got two left-backs out now, with Tsepo Masilela – but Nthethe can play there too.”

Swaziland, ranked 183 in the world, may prove a tad less tough than Spaniards, ranked at No1 since 2008. But Gordon remains hopeful. Just wish the rest of our football-speaking nation would join him. Anything less than a stuffing would be okay by me.

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.

A little bit of Knowledge goes a long way: How the Soweto derby was won - and lost

Gaining Knowledge: Kaizer Motaung and Stuart
Baxter give on-loan Musona his No11 shirt

 

It is a well known fact that a lack of Knowledge can cause a person all kinds of problem in life. Just ask Stuart Baxter.

On Saturday, with 80,000 people at Soccer City looking over his shoulder, the Kaizer Chiefs coach decided he could do without the on-loan Zimbabwean Knowledge Musona in his starting line-up against Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates.

There is no way Baxter or his AmaKhosi could legislate for a superb kick from the rejuventated Daine Klate after 12 minutes. There is no way the first foreign coach to win the PSL in his first year could have predicted such a strong start from Roger de Sa's Buccaneers either.

But what Baxter COULD and SHOULD have done, is start with a more positive attitude.

I spoke to Stuart last Thursday on my football show Bollockz. At the time, we agreed his three musketeers - Musona, Bernard Parker and Leohlonolo Majoro might all start in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-final.

It was an exciting debate about options: "I've started with all three, I've started with two of them, we have alternatives."

But perhaps I overlooked the bit where Baxter, by his nature a conservative man, said: "It's the first leg, you have to box cagily. You don't want to concede goals."

Despite lengthy chats with all involved in the Soweto Derby in the build-up, I was as surprised as anybody to see Musona left out of the starting line-up. I was not surprised about the Pirates team - Roger de Sa warned me on Friday night that long-term injury Siya Sangweni, though back in training, would not make it for the big game.

That was something of a relief. The last Soweto derby Sangweni played in - with a knee injury sustained during last year's African Cup of Nations - ended 0-0 but the man with a cattle farm near Richards Bay has taken over six months to recover.

In the midfield, Andile Jali failed his late fitness test after ankle and groin injuries but that didn't really concern me. I'd spoken to Legohonolo Maselesa before the game. For a 20-year-old, the former Wits Clever Boy was completely unfazed about playing in his first Soweto Derby.

What was it he said? "Neal, I'm not living the dream. I'm very lucky to be playing for Orlando Pirates, but I have a lot of improving to do before we can talk about living the dream!"

But as he did the week before when he came on for Jali in the 4-1 win over Egyptian giants Zamalek, South Africa's Vieira simply glided through his first Bucca v AmaKhosi clash, running his socks off with Sox, denying Yeye, Shabba and Parker before picking up the man of the match award.

Incredible stuff for a young lad who simply has everything it takes to make it, both here and in Europe.

But ultimately this was not about the battle of the midfield, nor about Senzo Meyiwa and Itumeleng Khune, described to me before the game by Mark Fish as "the best two goalkeepers in Africa".

This was about Stuart forgetting to throw caution to the win in the first leg at home. This was about Roger De Sa, who has been haunted by an unhappy Ghost for so long, finally getting the upper hand.

I've counted NINE matches where De Sa has come up against Chiefs and failed to grasp the victory he has so long deserved. This time he relished it, grinning: "My captain Lucky Lekgwathi is a legend, he gets better with age! Oupa Manyisa and Sifiso Myeni were magnificent with Vieira. I'm very proud of my lads."

And while Baxter insisted: "Musona wouldn't have done any better in the first half," we all saw the improvement the Zimbabwean striker made when he came on at half-time.

I'm afraid in this instance, a little Knowledge was not quite dangerous enough. He remains a shadow of the striker who left here for Germany as South Africa's top scorer - but his ability, touch and reputation were sorely missed in the first half.

We have to wait a painfully long month for the second legs of the MTN8 semi-finals. I daren't touch on Platinum Stars whopping Wits in the Sunday semi as Gavin Hunt will have my guts for garters. But I can say this to AmaKhosi fans: "Knowledge is power."

 

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon. The full interview is on video below.
You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & 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!

 

 

AmaKhosi boss Stuart Baxter explains why Saturday's Soweto derby is unique in the world - and why Pirates winning in Africa is worth a glass of wine!

Rivals not enemies: Roger de Sa and
Stuart Baxter with the MTN8 trophy

KAIZER CHIEFS coach STUART BAXTER prepares for Saturday’s Soweto derby insisting the nation’s clash of giants is unique in the world of football.

But the double-winning AmaKhosi boss insists he is on good terms with Bucca coach Roger De Sa and that they will “share a glass of wine together” after the first leg of the MTN semi-final - no matter what.

Baxter, who became the first foreign PSL coach to win the title in his first season, said on my football show BOLLOCKZ! yesterday: “I’ve been to big football derbies all over the world, and the Soweto Derby matches anything in terms of spectacle and passion.

“But it’s very, very different to anything else. The crowd mingles. It’s a carnival. They get so hyped up for it on a different level. It’s unique, something we should cherish and be proud of.”

And he recalls a decade-long relationship with former Bafana goalkeeper De Sa saying: “I’ve known Roger for a long time, since I was the national coach. We’ve kept in touch. I rate him as a friend and colleague.

“A lot of people raised their eyebrows when I said I was pleased to see Pirates getting a good win in Egypt. If Pirates get a good result does that make us useless? If they do badly does that make us a better team? NO IT DOESN’T.

“It’s a good result for South Africa when Pirates do well in Africa. When we walk on the pitch we won’t be buying each other cake, when the line is drawn in the sand we’ll be fierce enemies for 90 minutes. And that’s it, we’ll do whatever we can to get a result.

“Afterwards I’ll buy him a glass of wine and say: "Well played" or "unlucky son"! I don’t think we need to hate each other to make a positive rivalry. You do your work for your club, no matter what other people do, it doesn’t make you better or worse.”

As for the intricate details of Saturday’s clash – where 80,000 tickets have already been sold – Baxter insists: “At this moment no injuries to report, Major had a bit of a day off with a virus but he's back so it’s only Siyabonga Nkosi who is in training but not available for selection.

“How will we play in at Soccer City? It’s possible we could play Bernard Parker, Lehlohonolo Majoro and Knowledge Musona all up front together. We’ve played with all three together before. They will all be playing a part in the game.

“But it’s a two-legged affair this one so you’re looking not to concede a goal at home while getting a few in the plus column. We’ll have to box a little bit cagily but I can envisage playing all three strikers in the game.”

Mark Fish, part of the 1995 Orlando Pirates Champions League winning team, also highlighted the unique nature of the Soweto Derby on BOLLOCKZ!, saying: “Apart from playing against Chiefs, the biggest game I played in during my years in Europe was the Rome derby. Roma v Lazio, who share a stadium.

“But there it’s all about segregating the fans, there are police and stewards everywhere. In all the big European derbies it’s like that. You have to keep the fans apart. But here, it’s different. For all the rivalry, the fans can sit together, sing together.

“That’s what makes Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs unique.”

You can find both the Baxter and Mark Fish videos below.

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & 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!

THE PSL KICKS OFF ON FRIDAY: Benni says it's Chiefs, but does he know what's been happening out there?!

Too many Chiefs: Amakhozi celebrations after
the Carling Cup win on Saturday

SO according to the Benni McCarthy, Kaizers Chiefs are going to win the PSL, Bernard Parker will be the season’s top scorer and Itumeleng Khune is ear-marked for player of the year.

Which is all very well – though slightly annoying if you’re a fan of his former club Orlando Pirates – given Kaizer Chiefs utterly meaningless Carling Cup win at a packed Soccer City on Saturday.

Of course, the Amakhosi have the bragging rights after Lehlohonolo Majoro’s off-side goal separated the two sides in the gimmicky Soweto derby for profiteers - but as an indicator of the season ahead, as we say in England, it’s utter bollocks.

Under-pressure Pirates coach Roger de Sa is attempting to shave 8kg off Collins Mbesuma while simultaneously bedding in his new signings, Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter himself admits: “It was heaven and hell… they had us under pressure.”

So do we make Chiefs favourites to retain their title given McCarthy's views in today's Sunday Times? Possibly. But let’s remember Benni has barely been back in the country since his sudden retirement at the end of last season. The fact that he quit without actually telling the Buccaneers despite their R6m-a-year salary is beside the point.

McCarthy has spent his time in Spain and England, he has no idea how the new-look PSL is shaping up. Though nobody doubts his footballing talent, it’s hard to take his current predictions too seriously.

For a start, Bernard Parker failed to win the golden boot last season despite a four-goal start at AmaZulu last year. This year Knowledge Musona takes over from McCarthy as the nation’s best-paid player, on a year’s loan at the AmaKhosi from German also-rans Hoffenheim.

With Benni’s old club enlisting the services of Celtic’s Lennox Bacela and SuperSport United’s Kemit Erasmus, I don’t expect to see Parker among the top five this season .

Stuart Baxter is likely to use him wide and deeper with Musona and Majoro carrying the bulk of the goal-scoring burden.

As for the title race, I’ve seen most of the new-look squads in action – yesterday I sat with new Wits coach Gavin Hunt watching Amatuks giving Australian tourists Perth Glory a 2-0 tonking.

Gavin said: “Steve Barker’s done it again. Found some good youngsters, made them efficient. They’ll be hard to beat again this year.”

On Saturday I watched Gavin’s Wits, with eight new players, win a mini-tournament at Milpark, ending on top of Steve Komphela’s Free States Stars, Golden Arrows and Platinum Stars.

I had a chat with new Dikwena boss Allan Freeze, who admitted: “We haven’t signed anybody really, we’ve lost Thuso Phala but we’ll be okay. We finished runners-up last season, we can reach the top four again this season.”

Mamelodi Sundowns have made their usual army of signings and enjoyed a strong tour of Ghana, Amazulu under Craig Rosslee may be a tough prospect but Ajax Cape Town will have to rely on new recruits from their substantial academy to survive after losing a host of stars.

Promoted NFD champions Polokwane City remain a mystery to most, Martitzburg United have grabbed Ghana's Mohammed Yakubu - who survived just 30 minutes under Roger de Sa at Orlando Pirates - but are unlikely to threaten the top four.

But amid conversations on my BOLLOCKZ show on Ballz radio, Hunt, Freeze, new SuperSport boss Cavin Johnson, Swallows coach Zeca Marques and of course, the big two, Roger and Stuart, I have to say the surprise package could be promoted Mpumalanga Aces under the ageless Clive Barker.

Clive, cheerfully 68, told me on BOLLOCKZ last week: “The wife told me not to tell you we’ll win the league at the first attempt! But I can say we have good directors at Aces, we’ve made some great signings and we could be a handful!”

The Dog reckons he’s signed 12 players rather than the widely publicised 16. When I asked Hunt how many he’d acquired (live on air) he said: “I’ve got absolutely no f***ing idea!”

The point is this: When the PSL kicks off on Friday with Aces up against last season’s double winners Kaizer Chiefs, it’s an all-new situation.

Just as in England, where the top three clubs are all under new management, much has changed since Benni McCarthy retired.

And I’d keep an eye on Wits, if I were the Soweto giants. Hunt has Zimbabwean veteran Benjani up front (“I’ll use him sparingly, keep his legs!”), the experienced Matthew Booth at centre-back, the energetic Matthew Pattison in midfield and Moeneeb Josephs in goal.

Hunt laughs: “I’ve never actually had Moeneeb before. He’s amazing. So bloody enthusiastic – and absolutely radio rental! I love him already.”

Chiefs and Pirates beware. Platinum Stars nearly did it last season – the Clever Boys will be up and at it this term.

The opening round:

02/08    Mpumalanga Aces      20:00     Kaizer Chiefs

03/08    Golden Arrows           15:00     Ajax Cape Town

03/08    Moroka Swallows       15:00     University of Pretoria

03/08    SuperSport United       20:15     Free State Stars

03/08    Maritzburg United        20:15     Polokwane City

04/08    Bloemfontein Celtic      15:00     Mamelodi Sundowns

04/08    Platinum Stars              15:00     Bidvest Wits

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za. A shorter version of THIS story will be published in The New Age on Tuesday.

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

Tlou Segolela "95% certain to play for Orlando Pirates on Saturday" says agent Tim Sukazi, who blames "political hazards" for delay over new deal

TLOU SEGOLELA’S agent Tim Sukazi is “95 percent sure” his man will play for Orlando Pirates in the Carling Cup against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.

Sukazi insists “political hazards” are all that stands between Segolela and a new contract. And he feels “Socks” might have made the difference in the Buccaneers’ opening African Champions League clash with Leopards last Saturday.

“Gautrain” Segolela, 25, scored five goals for Pirates last season – but started only seven games, coming on as an “impact substitute” 16 times. Since he signed for the Sea Robbers from Limpopo’s Seemole FC in 2007, every season has been much the same – apart from 2009 when he was on loan at Celtic and scored seven times.

With “Socks” voted in by the fans for Saturday’s sell-out Soweto derby at Soccer City, Sukazi said: “We live on hope right now. We really hope he will play on Saturday, we made some real progress in our meetings with Pirates yesterday.”

New signing Kermit Erasmus is on stand-by to start but Sukazi insists: “There is a 95 percent chance Tlou will play on Saturday but last week it was unfortunate he was left out against Leopards because he hadn’t signed.

“When you look at the result and reflect on that Leopards match (it ended 0-0 against the Congo champions, though Pirates were comfortably stronger), if they had Tlou they might have three points in the bank. They would be top of Group A in the African Champions League.

“Tlou is in tip-top condition. I think Roger de Sa will give you a hint along those lines. He had him in the starting eleven for the Leopards game.

“There is no problem in training, Tlou has been at Orlando Pirates for several years, we want him to continue and flourish there.

“The hold-up has been about regular game time. This is a player who is very talented, has got what it takes, now he has to sign a new contract at the same club.

“We want the new deal to have a playing element. We are doing our best. We should win on this one.

“You are right Neal, in South Africa there shouldn’t be guarantees that a player MUST play, the stars can lose form, only at training can you see that. To play a player EVERY WEEK? It becomes an impossible thing to do. I’m not advocating that.

“But at Pirates we are well aware Tlou didn’t play as much as he should have because of his ability, but due to “political hazards” as I call them.

“That where we were trying to write something in to the new contract.”

I asked Sukazi if now departed playing rivals Benni McCarthy, Takesure Chinyama or even coach Roger de Sa were “political hazards” last season, or if rumoured demands of FOUR TIMES his previous wage were the problem, but he insisted: “It’s not about money, obviously in every commercial deal, money is a primary consideration it doesn’t matter which space you are operating in.

“We have to eradicate the so-called “political hazards” and unfortunately they were not contractually covered. We have to address a situation where Tlou is sitting watching games from his couch when he is better than the players on the field.

“It’s not the players. It’s more to do with the structure than the playing field. The way things were operating, it wasn’t about Tlou’s ability, he just wants more game time to deliver.

“He watched from the grandstand for a long time last season, then in the game against TP Mazembe towards the end of the season he played and never looked back. And then came two goals for Bafana against Lesotho.

“Prior to those goals in Maseru there were no signs Pirates wanted to sign a new contract. Then they were interested. But we don’t want to get caught out in the same situation again. I don’t want Tlou to sit for three more years in a situation where he isn’t playing regularly."

Though Tim was reluctant to name those "political hazards", Pirates are one of several PSL clubs reliant on a host of "football advisors" rather than coaches when it comes to contracts and signings.

It appears Segolela languished on the bench - or on his couch - for weeks last season because these shadowy figures - with no great footballing backgrounds - back one player over another on the basis of who signed them.

Those "political hazards" were particularly rife at Platinum Stars before Cavin Johnson took over and are known to have been at work at Sundowns when Johan Neeskens was in charge.

Sukazi insists: “Hopefully we have sorted this issue. No more “political hazards”, Tlou has a great chance of playing on Saturday. Of getting that contract signed. A 95 percent chance.”

Tim was a guest on BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, which happens every Thursday from 10am-noon. We also spoke to Wits coach Gordon Hunt, Mpumalanga boss Clive Barker and Bongani Khumalo's representative Glyn Binkin. Those interviews will appear here later.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za. A shorter version of THIS story will be published in The New Age tomorrow too.

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

KAIZER CHIEFS 0-0 ORLANDO PIRATES: It's nearly time to accept: Stuart Baxter is worthy

Top of the pile: Stuart Baxter

It’s all very well turning to club PROs and talking heads when you discuss the Soweto derby. But after Saturday’s goalless efforts in front of over 90,000 at Soccer City, you need a man of experience to explain what appears to be a footballing train smash in front of the biggest sporting crowd in the world last weekend.

Gavin Hunt, Mark Fish, Doc Khumalo, Roger De Sa, Clive Barker. They are such men. So too is Stuart Baxter, the coach roundly written off when he arrived, indirectly, to replace the unlamented Brazilian Julio Leal at the helm of the best-supported club in South Africa.

Before the greatest derby in Africa, we had Vina Maphosa, spokesman of Kaizer Chiefs, taking on Mickey Modisane of Orlando Pirates. It was great. We upset Vina earlier in the week by revealing his AmaKhosi had appointed a new acting Managing Director without telling us. Goodnews Cadogan had jumped the gun by revealing his new-found status on Facebook.

On Friday we caught Mickey too – we had a recording of Roger de Sa telling Udo Carelse on 702’s SportsTalk on Thursday night: “Benni McCarthy is just not fit, he can barely kick a ball.” But on Friday morning the official Orlando Pirates website quoted Benni saying he was fit and raring to go for the derby, and that it was just up to the technical team to select him.

Poor old Mickey.  Which was the truth? How could the Buccaneers not spot the contradiction? “I haven’t seen the medical reports,” he complained, “What the coach says is right… and so is Benni.”

Confused? We were.

So when it comes to analysing the game itself, a goalless affair marked by spectacular saves at both ends and what looked to me like a stonewall penalty to the Pirates, you have to turn to THE MAN WHO KNOWS.

That man was born in Wolverhampton, England, 59 years ago, spent an unspectacular year in charge of Bafana eight  years ago and was questioned about the validity of his CV when he returned to South Africa this season.

Now five points clear of his arch-rivals at the top of the PSL, Baxter is on the verge of proving the critics wrong, of celebrating that long-awaited championship with the Amakhosi.

This is Stuart Baxter’s summary of what we ACTUALLY SAW rather than an hysterical reaction to a goalless stalemate: “I'd have liked a better quality game, especially when it comes to passing. But the players worked very hard.

“I've never seen so many good players giving the ball away. The passing game on both sides was erratic. I think that's why it was more end to end, because the transitions (Baxter’s favourite word)were giving each other opportunities.”

“If you take any big derby, Manchester or Milan, they rarely justice do the size of the event. There were nerves out there. I've seen very few really good derby games. Usually they're blood and thunder. I don't think this one really took off.

“I know everybody asks, when we play and Pirates play, if we are sitting glued to the TV, and hoping they're going to lose. I have to say, I don't want any of our players to have that attitude. We don't become a better team if Pirates lose.

"We become a better team if we work hard at our own game, and we become an over-optimistic team sometimes if they lose or drop points.

"It's the same for us. They don't suddenly become 10 classes better if we concede two goals.”

On Kickoff.com, Baxter confessed: “I was quite happy with the first 20 minutes, we got into the game and we settled but we were not creating as many chances as we would like. Pirates took over in the last 15 minutes of the first half, because when we had the ball we gave it back to them.

"I was concerned when we went in at half-time. My team talk was obviously useless because we did the same in the next 15 minutes after half-time. But then for some reason, the lads pulled together and got better defensively.

"If you ask me if we were unlucky (not to get the winner) I don't know. We had a couple of chances towards the finish and their keeper Senzo Meyiwa came up trumps.

“I agree with Roger that it wasn't the best of games in the world.”

WILL UPDATE THIS WITH STUART BAXTER QUOTES FROM TONIGHT'S INTERVIEW!

Ntsimbi does not rust: Why Siya Sangweni not Benni McCarthy should be the focal point before Soweto Derby

Wounded Pirates: Benni McCarthy and Siya Sangweni

BENNI McCARTHY’S knee is dominating the headlines again, one day before the biggest crowd in the world gathers at Soccer City for the Soweto derby.

Orlando Pirates fans, with their champions going in to the 90,000-strong cauldron five points adrift of arch-rival Kaizer Chiefs, are understandably confused.

Last night on SportsTalk we dragged Buccaneers coach Roger de Sa out of his late afternoon nap and he told us quite clearly: “Benni is struggling with his knee. He can barely kick a ball.”

But this morning, with Talk Radio 702 running that damning statement as our promo for tonight’s show, Orlando Pirates released a statement from Benni himself saying: “I am back doing full training with the boys and so far all is good.

 “Everyone is working hard at training hoping to make it into the squad. The derby is the biggest match in the local sporting calendar, we all want to be a part of it.”

Attempts to reach Benni for clarification have proved impossible. The last update on his twitter account talks about his recent attachment to boxer Chris van Heerden’s camp at Sandton Convention centre last Saturday night. He says: “Hey everyone hope all is good? Big moment for SA Boxing when the Champ Chris van Heerden take on Hatton in Sandton 2nyt. Come and support “

Benni does concede on the Pirates website: “Obviously the team has been playing together for a while and I was out so, I cannot rush things. It’s up to the technical team. If selected to play I hope to be at my best but if not, then I have to push myself to get in the team for the next upcoming matches.”

For his part De Sa, who has been incredibly forthcoming on our show during the Sea Robbers’ mini-slump, says: "Benni is 35 and is not the same any more. He’s a good professional and we do miss him. We don't just miss him on the field but also in the dressing room.

"You got to understand the injuries take a lot longer to heal and he is more prone to injuries now. Benni has never been the ideal athlete. He is a phenomenal footballer with a great football brain.”

And then this: "His injuries are always genuine, the first one was a hamstring tear that he picked up while he was with Bafana Bafana. He tried to come back earlier and it strained again and so he had to sit out another two to three weeks.

"He came back from the Christmas break looking pretty sharp and we were excited that we will at least have Benni for the second half of the season. Then at one of the training sessions he twisted his knee and tore a ligament in that knee.”

My sources tell me that injury was sustained by a tackle from an over-enthusiastic player on trial at Pirates three weeks ago.

De Sa insists: "It happens. It is football and I will tell you that there is nothing behind it. A lot of people are thinking a lot of things but in this case you can see a scan and if you are a doctor you can read the scan and see what it is.”

With the 4-1 Nedbank Cup upset against Maluti FET College, the 3-2 defeat against Moroka Swallows and this week’s draw against Bloemfontein Celtic to deal with, De Sa is under enormous pressure. Defeat against the AmaKhosi would mean an EIGHT POINT GAP and, quite possibly, the end of a turbulent six-month reign for the Mocambique-born former goalkeeper who has, if nothing else, romped through the opening round of the African Champions League.

But Pirates fans would do well to consider the real injury problem in the Buccaneers’ camp. Siya Sangweni, unarguably the key player in Bafana’s African Cup of Nations campaign with two goals and barely a mistake at the back, is the real problem.

Forget Benni and Moeneeb Josephs, they have become peripheral figures. Both will probably head south for Cape Town Ajax at the end of the season, with leadership needed and a cash-injection from Amsterdam promised if McCarthy returns to the Cape, where it all started.

It’s Sangweni, the cattle-loving centre-back from northern Zululand, who is vital.

Just this minute I have received an SMS from De Sa. I asked him how “Ntsimbi” (“Iron” in Zulu) was in training today. He said: “Will assess tomorrow.”

Before Sangweni’s injury three weeks ago, Pirates were on a run of 13 games undefeated. New goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwe had not conceded in five games and they conceded their first PSL goal at the Orlando Stadium late in the game against Celtic on Wednesday.

Sangweni is VITAL to the Pirates. Both as their defensive lynchpin and a scorer of vital goals, in the marauding Pirates style.

When the world’s biggest crowd gather at Soccer City today, Benni McCarthy’s knee – a factor I raised after a chat with West Ham’s chief coach before the World Cup – will no longer be important.

So that’s it. A late fitness test on Ntsimbi – assuming the Iron does not rust - could decide the PSL title tomorrow.

SportsTalk with Udo Carelse airs every night on www.702.co.za at 8pm, we're on from 7-9pm on Fridays and Sundays.  Listen tonight for Vina Maphosa of Kaizer Chiefs and Mickey Modisane from Orlando Pirates going head-to-head before the derby. Follow my twitter updates on the show from @nealcol using the hashtag #sportstalk