ARMCHAIR CRITIC: BRAVO BAFANA…NOW GO KILL CANADA!

Let me give due thanks to the Bafana Bafana players for having qualified for the last 32 stage of the World Cup tournament.

This despite coach Hugo Broos not believing in them.

Now my message is simple and straightforward to our boys:

“Bravo Bafana…now go kill your next opponents Canada on Sunday at 9 pm South African time!”

I have watched several videos of how Canada play and I must say they have dangerous strikers but their defence is hopeless, and they also don’t have flair in the midfield.

This means there is nothing to fear in the midfield and therefore no need to pack the midfield with three defensive midfielders by coach Hugo Broos.

Two so-called defensive midfielders will be ok for Bafana though I personally hate the philosophy of playing with any defensive midfielders in the first place.

I believe no player must be sent onto the pitch to do nothing except to idle like an aimless robot and “defend the defenders from being attacked and kick to pieces any opposition player who tries to catch the team on a counter-attack.”

This turns the so-called defensive midfielders into morons who can’t even trap the ball and distribute it to teammates; let alone taking a shot at goal.

An example of a player who has been turned into a moron is Sphephelo Sithole, who at the moment is nothing but a man whose contribution is seen only by the so-called football experts while we ordinary soccer-loving people don’t see what he is actually doing on the field of play.

My research tells me that Sphephelo Sithole has never taken any shots at goal for Bafana Bafana or blocked any attempts by the opposition to score since the 2026 World Cup tournament started, yet defender TLB Mbokazi has blocked the opposition from scoring against us numerous times while in the process also making several shots at goal in every match for Bafana Bafana.

Which dangerous opposition player has this Sphephelo Sithole marked out of the game since the tournament began?

Let’s stop pretending and call a spade by its name.

South African football is killed by you fans who accept mediocrity.

And I guess some of you will be satisfied if we get beaten by a mediocre team like Canada and say at least we have qualified for the last 32 stage of the World Cup.

Let Bafana Bafana go out there and beat tournament co-hosts Canada and their names will be in the history books for making fans of the host country go home crying.

In the past players like Linda Buthelezi and now soccer coach Eric Tinkler used to play in this defensive midfielder position for Bafana Bafana with aplomb; taking shots at goal while at the same time being able to intercept passes made by the opposition.

But in the case of Sphephelo Sithole, it is only “football experts” who see the interceptions and shots at goal that he makes, as well as the imaginary opponents that he marks.

There is no guarantee that in the near future Sithole won’t go into stage freight again and cost us the game like he did in the opening game against Mexico at the 2026 World Cup tournament.

I believe in attacking football and I still remember how Russian-born former Orlando Pirates coach Victor Bondarenko would always respond when asked by the media as to what his coaching philosophy was.

He would respond unequivocally and unapologetically in his heavy Russian accent as follows :

” Atak..Atak..Atak!”

This simply means attack, attack and attack some more.

And indeed Bondarenko had players like Jerry Sikhosana, Brendan Silent and current Bafana Bafana assistant coach Hellman Mkhalele who could attack the opposition teams relentlessly.

This so-called defensive midfielder position which is so overrated these days was played with ease, comfort and sheer talent by players like Malombo Lechaba of Kaizer Chiefs, Zane Moosa of Mamelodi Sundowns, Harris Choeu and Steve Makua of Witbank Aces, Toy Ramosa and the late John Moeti of Orlando Pirates, as well as Philemon Mogola of Mamelodi Sundowns.

These guys were the livewires of their respective teams and were a marvel to watch.

They played what was then know as “fetch-and-carry,” which entailed dispossessing the opponents and carrying the ball forward to help their teams to attack.

They didn’t resort to any rough tackles but used their football brains to dispossess opposition players of the ball and immediately go on the offensive brilliantly; much to the appreciation of the fans watching the game.

In the final analysis of the Bafana Bafana team, my assertion is that coach Hugo Broos is the one who doesn’t believe in himself personally as a coach ; but most of the players representing Bafana Bafana at the World Cup tournament look confident, fearless and raring to go!

The players have apparently not allowed coach Hugo Broos’ lack of confidence in himself to affect them.

The only person who has been affected by Hugo Broos’ lack of confidence is Sphephelo Sithole, who plays like a scared rabbit.