Lack Of Ambition Stunting SA Clubs in the Transfer Market.

The mid-season transfer window has come and gone and we can all breathe easy agin after the delirium caused by the rumour mill. Well, in South Africa, the rumour mill isn't as active as the one overseas with most clubs only admitting interest in players only after they've signed on the dotted, except for Kaizer Chiefs who would rather unveil a player's jersey complete with name and number hoping they will sign eventually; but Eric Matoho’s jersey is a story and a laugh for another day. 

Anyways, last month, fans of local football were treated to a tasty little rumour linking former France and Manchester United striker, Louis Saha, with a possible move to either Mamelodi Sundowns or Bidvest Wits. Now I would have thought such news would have been greeted with inordinate amounts of excitement, I for one would love to see Louis Saha play and do well in the PSL, whether it is for the team I support or not. Sadly though, if twitter is anything to go by, much of the local response to Saha possibly signing for a South African team was negative. A few 'lols' and these (:''D) smiley faces and sentiments of "how the mighty have fallen" were the order of the day.

I think South Africans underestimate the professional league over here. It is as competitive as any in Europe where any team could any other on any given day. I mean for the bulk of the first half of the season, Sundowns, one of the richest and most successful clubs in the PSL era were languishing at the very bottom of the log table. I think South Africa and the league over here are very attractive. You need only look at some of the players who have played for South African clubs in the past and presently. For instance UEFA Champions League winner Benni McCarthy signed for PSL champions, Orlando Pirates; former Netherlands and Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld plays for Ajax Cape Town; Luis Boa Morte, an ex Portugal and Arsenal winger had a brief stint with Pirates; and in years past Manchester United legend George Best left the Old Trafford club to join the Jewish Guild, a Johannesburg based club that competed in the old National Football League.

There is a lot of money pumped in the game here, only last year Supersport paid the PSL over a billion rand for the leagues TV rights and Vodacom extended their sponsorship of Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs to the tune of R500 million. While our clubs cannot compete with the salaries paid by the upstarts in China and Russia, they do have enough financial muscle to put together offers good enough to lure big name players.

I feel that the only thing stopping PSL clubs from making offers to Rio Ferdinand for instance who is in the last few months of his contract at Man United is ambition. I often point to the example of David Beckham, the LA Galaxy and MLS when I say that local clubs need to have greater ambition in recruiting players. It took a bold offer from the Galaxy to make Beckham, who was at Real Madrid at the time, an offer so good he couldn't resist. And other MLS clubs followed suit and raised their ambitions too, which is why you see heavyweights like Thierry Henry, Rafael Marquez and Robbie Keane playing in the US now. Since Beckham signed with the Galaxy, the MLS has become arguably the most polished league outside of Europe. A recent show of the ambition I am talking about is the signing of Juventus great Alessandro del Piero who said he turned down an offer from Liverpool to sign instead for Sydney FC who compete in Australia's A-League. Ordinarily,  a side like Sydney would have no hope of landing Del Piero especially going up against Liverpool but with enough currency and a heap of ambition, not only was the deal possible but they made it happen.

Can South African clubs match the ambition displayed by LA Galaxy and Sydney FC? I sure hope so. It starts with clubs signing players like McCarthy and others following suit and snapping up players like Saha and other big name players. Hopefully SA’s football clubs can step up their transfer ambitions in the coming windows and who knows, we could be talking about Mark van Bommel joining Ajax Cape Town or Nicolas Anelka or his jersey signing for Kaizer Chiefs.

12 of my favourite athletes of 2012

We’re ankle deep into 2013 but I thought before we go any further this year, I’d like to share some of my favourite athletes from 2012. Here goes:

1. Jeremy Lin

 Linsanity was a crazy fad that gripped every basketball loving fan in February and March of last year, fuelled by the individual brilliance of one Jeremy Lin who triumphed over many odds to reach the top. His is a heart warming story which the world of sport needs to keep its sentimental or human side against the threats of impersonal behaviour in the professional era. Lin bounced from team to team before getting his chance with the New York Knicks and had to sleep on a friend's couch for a while when he wasn't sure whether a franchise would sign to a long term deal or not. Injury cut short the rest of his season but Lin left a huge impression in the two months he was on his hot streak.

2. Michael Clarke

In 2012 I really bought into Michael Clarke. I had always seen him as the young and great hope of Australia not realising how many years had crept past and that he reached his thirties. He assumed the Australia captaincy in 2011 and seemed to grow as player with that added responsibility. I have really enjoyed watching him bat over the last 14 or so months since he scored that 150 against South Africa in Cape Town and his innings of 329 at SCG against India in January 2012. That was a magnificent innings, one that although he wasn't dying for it, earned him my respect and approval.

3. Hashim Amla

I've got 311 reasons why Hashim Amla is on this list. That innings at The Oval chief among them. Other than that, Hash finally earned the respect of many in the cricketing world. He has been a great performer for the longest time but I reckon since he goes about his business quietly, he doesn't often get noticed. I reckon he made the world stand up and take notice on that tour of England. Most remarkable in that innings is that Amla did not consume any liquids since the Test took place in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and he did not change his gloves. Hash punished any and all before him. SA's best cricketer last year in my book.

4. Chad Le Clos

The epic moment when Chad Le Clos snuck into first place ahead of Michael Phelps was THE great moment of the Olympics for me. I think the quiet superstar and underdog stories do it for me and Chad is a bit of both if that's possible. Listening to the commentators speaking before the race, all they spoke about was Phelps and mentioned one of the swimmers in the outside lanes in passing but there was no mention of the young South African in the lane next to Phelps. He shook the world after that race.

5. Siya Kolisi

I remember watching Siya Kolisi playing as a school boy in 2009. He was a terror. I thought right then that he'd end up playing pro. I watched him play in the Currie Cup and was suitably impressed but his performances in Super Rugby this year were outstanding! He bossed opposition much like he did in his school days. I enjoyed seeing that. I thought he was unlucky not to earn a Springbok cap last year but you can bet on he will be a top performer again this year and he will be phenomenal in the years to come.

6. Cobus Reinach

No flash. Quietly impressive. Does the business, gets the job done. That's really all that needs to be said of the Sharks scrumhalf who had a breakthrough season in the Currie Cup last year. Reinach wrestled the Sharks no.9 jersey out of the hands of Charl McLeod, an adequate half back who earned his first call up to the national squad in 2010 and played in his Springbok debut against the All Blacks in 2011. I reckon Reinach's role in the Sharks side throughout their charge to the Currie Cup final was largely underrated maybe owing to the number of stars playing for the Durban outfit but certainly he was one of the most efficient and industrious players. Watch out for him in 2013, I think he will do big things and achieve higher honours.

7. Serena Williams

She was knocked in the 1st Round at the French Open for the 1st time in her career and they, whoever that is, said she was nearing the end. But the champion that is Serena Williams bounced back and in a matter of weeks and was at her clinical best winning at Wimbledon and winning 2 gold medals at the Olympics.

8. Anaso Jobodwana

When has South Africa ever had a sprint sensation? Well, if everything goes according to plan, we may just have one in Anaso Jobodwana. The 20 year old Eastern Cape native made it to the final of 200m event at the Olympics. Definitely keep an eye on him. He'll do well at the next Olympics.

9. Saeed Ajmal

In 2011, a brand new crop of menacing fast bowlers emerged. The Aussies unleashed Pattinson, Cummins and Starc almost simultaneously whilst de Lange and Philander burst out from South Africa. At this time, another shining light came out of Pakistan. Spinner Saeed Ajmal. Ajmal was terrific in the series against England and pretty much announced himself as the world's foremost spinner.

10. Benni McCarthy

I've never really thought much of Benni McCarthy. I've never disliked him as a player or a character but I've never liked him either. He has been a divisive personality amongst the SA sporting public but this past year changed my opinion of him. When he joined Orlando Pirates in 2011, I had my reservations, thinking he was in it for the money. But since then he has endeared himself to SA, producing quality performances, scoring scintillating goals and to date hasn't shown that bigger-than-the-game attitude he has always been painted as having. For my mind, he has been a positive force for the PSL and hopefully will do for the PSL what Beckham did for MLS.

11. James Pattinson

Who doesn't like a young, tearaway fast bowler? James Pattinson has been one athlete who I've enjoyed watching this year, especially when he is in full flight. His bowling spell against Graeme Smith in the 1st Test at Brisbane on the final day was a joy to watch. The modern day fast bowler has become a calmer, thinking man, so it is refreshing and enthralling to see one who is always fired up. Unfortunately, we didn't see as much of him as possible this summer because of injury but I look forward to him having a great 2013 and destroying the England batsmen during the Ashes.

12. Hayden Smith

So what do you do after playing in a Rugby World Cup? How about try your hand in the NFL. The 27 year old former Saracens lock has quite the fascinating back story. He was born in Penrith, Australia and stands at a mighty 2 metres tall and weighs 116 kilograms. Rugby was not his first sport. Whilst training with a professional basketball team in Australia, the Sydney Kings, he won a scholarship to play basketball and study in the USA. It was at Metro State College in Denver that Smith started playing rugby. He furthered his rugby career in England where he signed for Saracens and played in 43 Premiership and Heineken Cup matches and turned out for the USA national rugby team 18 times and started all 4 of their group games in the 2011 RWC. In 2012, Smith took the bold leap and switched to the NFL. Despite having never played American football before, he earned himself trials with a number of teams before being signed by the New York Jets as a tight end playing in their practice squad. He was later included in their active squad and played in 5 of the Jets' regular season games in the NFL. Such an unlikely but similarly fascinating story.

Bend it like Benni - The Carlos Amato interview with Benni.

Benni McCarthy has not always been my favourite South African footballer. In fact  I don't think he has ever been, until he joined Orlando Pirates this year. From the onset, he put in some well-polished performances for the Buccaneers which suggested that he was not only playing so that he could cash in his last few paycheques as a footballer.

His quality performances for the Bucs have seen Pirates add two trophies to their impressive collection over the past 2 seasons and may yet claim a third trophy this season if they successfully defend their league title. Bafana Bafana fans know Benni as a prima donna and haven't always warmed up to him either, and West Ham fans probably know him as that fat lazy guy.

This past Sunday, I read a Sunday Times article by Carlos Amato, who happens to be my favourite sports writer, about the interview he had with Benni. It is quite a refreshing read and shows a different side to Benni, that most fans of the game probably didn't know existed. Come to think of it, I have never read about any interview with Benni before.

Here's Carlos Amato's article on Benni, hopefully you will find it as interesting as I did.
bend-it-like-benni
Skyler wrote this.

Could Benni be South Africa's David Beckham?

Not the David Beckham we're talking about.

Mawande Says...

If you are thinking about David Beckham the underwear model, then this article would be complete in just 2 letters. There is no way that I can, or want to, imagine Benni McCarthy in tight, white underwear on a billboard overlooking the M1. But Benni could match David Beckham, the footballer, and his exploits in Major League Soccer in the United States, right here in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League.

The MLS was an obscure league up until 2007 when David Beckham signed for the Los Angeles Galaxy. His popularity on and off the field helped to raise the profile of the league and now it is arguably one of the most popular professional football leagues outside of Europe. One only needs to look at the quality of footballers that the MLS has attracted since Beckham signed for the Galaxy to confirm this. Mexican captain Rafael Marquez signed for the New York Red Bulls from Spanish giants Barcelona as did Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Other notable players to sign for MLS clubs have been former Germany midfielder Torsten Frings, Scottish Premier League record goal scorer Kris Boyd, former South Korean captain Young Pyo Lee, Freddie Ljungberg and Robbie Keane.

Can you imagine this guy advertsing underwear on a billboard?



 Now Benni is not a popular figure in South Africa. He is somewhat controversial and he divides public opinion. I’ll admit to being skeptical when it was announced that Benni McCarthy had signed for Orlando Pirates at the beginning of the current PSL season. Having watched his last few performances for West Ham in 2010, I felt that he was well past his prime and cashing in on a last pay cheque. From what has transpired this season, it is safe to say my skepticism was misplaced.

Benni has been a good acquisition for the Buccaneers. He scored on debut and has gone on to score a further 7 goals for the Bucs, despite picking up leg injuries that kept him on the sidelines for a while. I have watched Benni play this season and I have been very impressed with him. His interplay with the Pirates midfield and forward players has been stellar. He has been able to find passes that ordinary players aren’t able to and he has been making telling runs that leave defenders unaware. Watching Benni for just a while, you notice that he is a class above the average player in the PSL. I have also enjoyed that he does the basics very well. His ball control and heading abilities are superior to any other striker in the PSL. In all, Benni has added a new level of professionalism into the local game and hopefully other players will learn a lot from watching and playing with him. 

Ambitious: Pirates sign Benni. The start of greater things to come in the PSL?

The signing of Benni was very ambitious of Pirates and hopefully the beginning of a new trend in South African football. The PSL has been riddled with a problem of below average foreign internationals who pretend to be good footballers so that can collect mega bucks and end up bouncing from club to club until they either surface at a club in the National First Division or disappear altogether. It seems that for every single foreign international that is a success in the PSL, there are a handful of players who turn out to be frauds. Benni is the kind of experienced and well traveled professional that the PSL should attract.



Another Class Signing. Boa Morte join the Buccaneers. Will other clubs follow suit? 



The local rumour mill suggests that Benni played a big part in Pirates signing Luis Boa Morte, who has played for Arsenal, Fulham, West Ham and Portugal. Boa Morte is the kind of foreign international the PSL clubs should want to have on their books. He is a quality player with a proven track record of success and a big name player. If he can sign for a South African team, maybe it would raise the consciousness of other SA clubs and they can look to signing big stars as well. In the case of the MLS, it took one big signing to raise the league from obscurity; it took one big signing for others to follow. Hopefully the signings of Benni and Boa Morte will be the catalyst that sees SA clubs become more ambitious with the transfer dealings and aim for the best. I don’t see why Sundowns or Chiefs cannot make a bid attractive enough to lure Didier Drogba, for instance.  

There is a lot of money in the South African game. Supersport recently paid close to R 1.6 billion for the PSL broadcast rights, so there is really nothing stopping PSL clubs from going out and signing some of the more well-known international stars. It can only improve the standard of play on the field and bring fans back into the stadiums and attract more sponsors. If clubs can take it upon themselves to think outside the box and have a bigger vision for themselves they will realize that signing players like Benni can only benefit all of South African football. One day when Rio Ferdinand and Kaka' are playing for Ajax Cape Town or Platinum Stars, we’ll look back and say, it started when Benni signed for Pirates.