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.

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The Booooooths will be ringing out this Christmas: Matthew Booth finally signs for Ajax Cape Town

The Booooooths will soon be ringing around South African football stadiums once more. Matthew Booth, the towering centre-back released by Mamelodi Sundowns at the end of last season, has finally signed for Ajax Cape Town after “protracted negotiations” in the boardroom.

With rookie boss Maarten Stekelenburg struggling to live up to the standards set by the Urban Warriors under Foppe de Haan, Booth’s calm assurance at the back may help the club get over their shock Telkom Knock-out quarter-final defeat at the hands of the lowly Golden Arrows in Cape Town last weekend.

Booth’s first outing won’t be easy though. After the international break, Ajax resume their faltering league campaign against runaway leaders SuperSport United on 18 November. Ajax were denied the title on the final day of last season – this term under Stekelenburg, they are currently eighth, a full ten points adrift of Gavin Hunt’s frontrunners.

Fish Hoek-born Booth, 34, was first spotted in the Cape Town Spurs junior ranks in 1994 - his dad Paul played amateur football for Fish Hoek FC. Booth ended up playing 92 games for Spurs between 1994 and 1998 before his first foray at Sundowns. The lure of foreign football saw an unsuccessful loan spell at rugged English club Wimbledon when they were in the top flight before going east to Russian, where he played 52 games for Rostov and 107 for Krylia Sovetov.

His return to Sundowns was hampered by a career-threatening knee injury early this year. Though he claimed to have regained full fitness, he was “let go” around the time Johan Neeskens arrived to take over the Brazilians.

That acrimonious exit left the 1.98m (6ft 6in) bitter and bewildered but the sun didn’t quite go down on the big man - he battled back and has been happily training with hometown club Ajax for nearly two months. Before last year’s World Cup in South Africa Booth – married to Pimville beauty Sonia - was used in an advertising campaign as the “Face of Africa” and featured heavily in promotions with LG and Vodacom, see what I wrote at the time http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2010/04/matthew-booth-unexpected-face-of-south.html.

American and Spanish journalists at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa thought Booth was being booed every time he touched the ball for Bafana – until it was explained the word Boooooth has a final syllable.

At the time, his wife Sonia said: "The foreign journalists thought it was a racist thing. I just laughed. But part of me wanted to say, 'They're not booing him. He's my husband, and trust me, I know!'"

Though he was picked in Carlos Alberto Parreira’s World Cup squad of 23 and featured in the final friendly against Denmark in Atteridgeville, Booth failed to play a single minute as South Africa became the first host nation not to reach the knock-out stages. Parreira effectively ended his international career after an 11 year period which included the 2000 Olympics and 37 full caps.

Booth, who agreed personal terms with Ajax a month ago, told kickoff.com last week: “Everything is going well. I played my first 45 minutes against Santos in a friendly game at the weekend and came through okay, even though I am still not sharp.

“We have another friendly game against Hanover Park and I am looking forward to another nice game. Ajax has a good medical team and they are looking after me very well.”

But the signing was delayed at boardroom level with Booth finally signing a contract until the end of the season – it will be extended for a further two years if he can prove his fitness.

Stekelenburg said after the belated pen had been put to paper: “Matthew’s experience on and off the field is something we are looking for. He is a fantastic player who adds some things that we currently lack in our squad.

“Our young players will learn a lot from him. We feel that Matthew adds balance to our current squad and look forward to him being part of our team. His presence and height will strengthen our defensive aerial power.”

Club CEO George Comitis said: “Matthew will add tremendous value to the club, especially in guiding the young players from our academy.

“We always first look at our youth academy for additions to our squad but we knew we needed an experienced defender.”

Spurs No1 Gomes Eager for Third Successive Summer in Africa

Tottenham’s Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is heading to South Africa for a third successive summer insisting: “Playing against Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will be perfect preparation for the English Premier League season.”

Gomes came to the Rainbow Nation in 2009 as part of the Brazil squad for the Confederations Cup and was back last year as his nation reached the quarter-finals of World Cup.

Now he prepares for the Vodacom Challenge against the treble winning champions the Buccaneers and Arsenal-like under-achievers Chiefs telling the tottenhamhotspur.com website: “South Africa is a great place to play football, the atmosphere is special, a lot different to other countries.

“First of all, the people are so friendly and they love the game as everyone knows from the World Cup.”

With Spurs set to play at World Cup venues in Polokwane, Nelspruit and Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, the Brazilian is ready for a return to the din of the vuvuzelas and grinned: “The stadiums are fantastic - South Africa did very well for the World Cup. The feeling for the game there is unbelievable. It’s a great atmosphere to play football in.

“I think it will be ideal preparation for us and we have to be ready for the start of the season.

“We know it will be tougher than ever because everyone knows about Tottenham now and what we can do.”

Spurs plan to bring both their Bafana Bafana internationals, Steven Pienaar and Bongani Khumalo with them on safari. Pienaar arrived at White Hart Lane from Everton for £2m in January just a month after Khumalo landed from Pretoria’s SuperSports United for £1.5m.

But with a surfeit of central defenders at Spurs, Khumalo, 24, looks set to turn out next season on loan at Scottish champions Rangers, who have had a difficult pre-season so far under new manager Ally McCoist.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp made the loan offer to Rangers last week and agent Glyn Binkin confirms: “I think it will be an excellent move for Bongani, because Rangers are a big club.”

Khumalo, who has yet to turn out for the Spurs first team, fractured a metatarsal in his foot after playing six “outstanding” games on loan for relegated Championship club Preston North End last season.

Binkin insists: “Bongani is focused on fully recovering and he should be back at full training by the end of this week.

“He will be keen on the loan deal, because he wants to play football and gain the experience. If the opportunity arises he will go. I think it will be an excellent move for him.”

Spurs kick-off the Vodacom Challenge against the Amakhosi on Saturday, July 16 in Polokwane before facing Bucsalona in Nelspruit on Tuesday, July 19.

The Chiefs and Pirates go head-to-head in Port Elizabeth on Thursday, July 21 and Spurs take on the winners of the Soweto derby in the final on Saturday, July 23 at Ellis Park.

Brazilian brilliance overcomes idiotic Ivorians... and Kaka gets the worst red card of the tournament

Dimly, beneath the din of the Vuvuzelas, the Samba beat is taking a grip at this World Cup. Brazil’s comfortable 3-1 triumph over the Ivory Coast at Soccer City last night may not have been majestic, but it was certainly emphatic.

And even the ridiculous 88^th minute sending off of the improving Kaka won’t hamper their progress. The second most expensive player in the world received a red from flawed French referee Stephane Lennoy despite the fact that Kader Keita ran in to him and then threw himself to the floor.

The incident sparked a huge melee, but it was nothing more than handbags. A FIFA review of this red card must surely result in complete exoneration. Keita, bow your head in shame. This World Cup deserves better.

Former Manchester City star Elano found himself on the wrong side of an upturned boot too, adding further bitterness.

But none of this should take away from Brazil’s performance last night. While the great European nations struggle with conditions in South Africa, the Latin Americans are simply steaming through their groups.

Brazil join Argentina and Holland as the only perfect teams so far. The latter have been the least convincing of that trio. And we all know how Italy, Germany, England and even Spain have struggled so far. Let’s not talk about France.

Paraguay and Chile look pretty hot too, while Uruguay could top Group A.

The Africans? Not good. Ivory Coast are now struggling, South Africa, Algeria and Nigeria are left hoping for miracles, Cameroon – the best ranked of the lot - are already out. Ghana may be the only survivors from the six who started this first African World Cup.

At times last night, despite the distinctly South African howl of horns, we might have been in the Maracana. There was some masterful stuff, including two goals from Luis Fabiano, who scored nine in qualifying.

The first was an absolute beauty, rammed in from a narrow angle after 25 largely unimpressive minutes of a mediocre first half.

But a brief chat with Dunga at half-time saw the Brazilians – who have achieved global domination five times on four continents – emerge with a roar. Fabiano, who will be right up there with Argentina’s Gonzalo Higiuan in the battle for the golden boot, produced what looked to be a great juggle past three defenders to slip home a second after 50 minutes.

The replays appeared to show not one but two handballs as the Sevilla man set up his second. But hey, these are Brazilians. Let’s not nit-pick. Even the ref had a good old laugh with Fabiano about it afterwards.

Real Madrid’s Kaka, who was looking better and better after a slow start, had one effort brilliantly saved before setting up the third for Elano in the 63^rd minute. But then Elano – who had showed off his shin pads after scoring - was carried off on a stretcher after a studs-up response from Cheik Tioto to a sliding tackle.

Didier Drogba, battling away despite playing with a cracked arm, came up with a consolation goal. And then came Kaka’s unjust dismissal... and a late flurry from the Ivorians. But by now, most neutral observers had lost all sympathy for Drogba’s men. And I suspect Didier himself was a little embarrassed. Not to mention former England and Mexico boss Sven Goran Eriksson.

But let’s not let cynicism take away from Brazil’s occasional brilliance. If I were a betting man, they’d be right up there with Argentina. And they’ve got Dunga in charge, not Diego Maradona.

Look, I know I rattle on about these things but, unbelievably, they want me to speak at South Africa’s National Arts Festival on July 4. Yes, it’s ridiculous. Me? Arts? Anyway, here’s the details if you can make it: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/neal_collins_a_game_apart/148367625