Ex-Pirates star call for continuity in Bafana
Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Andile Cele didn't celebrate immediately with the rest of the country after South Africa qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Bafana Bafana during training at FNB Stadium (Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix)
Cele says there is still a long way to go before South Africa dominate the African football again, adding that Bafana Bafana have not shown any signs of maturity in the previous qualification campaign.
“Are we just happy that we qualified or do we ask ourselves if we really deserved to quality by way of creating the chance for it,” Cele asked rhetorically. “When you start something it grows and when it gets to levels of success you are not surprised by the success, you know it’s time and you move forward knowing you are ready for the next phase.”
The 37-year-old fears that South Africa will ride their luck and once it runs out there will nothing left to use as a template to rebuild Bafana Bafana.
“I don’t think we have prepared for the next phase. We placed all our energy in qualifying for the Afcon. We can’t go there placing our hopes on luck but there needs to be a plan.
“One game we used Lorch, the next we use Mothiba and we qualified but what about the tournament and what will do there. There is no continuity. We need to grow together so we can weather the storm.
“I know we will be playing countries that have the same problems as us and will make it out of the group stages. But in the World Cup against Germany who have their house in order and build for years we might not make it.”
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