Ron call, coach: Appointing Williams Bafana captain feels like a big mistake

The road to Qatar 2022 officially begins for Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana this week.

The Belgian coach enters his third month on the job, but this will only be his first time on the bench.

Covid regulations have delayed the Bafana coach’s arrival in Mzansi, but he’s here now to finally take full control.

The football judges and opinion leaders will also be watching his every move and how his team performs this week.

Neighbours Zimbabwe are up first for Bafana, thereafter is a clash against what has become a familiar foe, in the Black Stars of Ghana three days later.

Ghana is the reason Broos is on the job.

A few months ago, the Black Stars and Mzansi were in the same group in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Ghana won that battle and they will be the team that will play Afcon 2021 along with Sudan, who was the other team that was in Group C.

The Bafana coach has chosen his captains that will go to battle for qualification for the big football showpiece in Qatar next year.

SuperSport United goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was announced as the chosen captain to lead the players on the pitch and Al Ahly’s new man Percy Tau was selected as the vice-captain.

I’m not a big fan of goalkeepers being preferred as captains, especially when there are so many other options to select from the outfield players.

Goalkeepers talk anyway, screaming and shouting is part of their role as goal-minders.

With or without the armband, goalkeepers are required to read the game and see things that other players don’t see. From the back of the pitch, they have the best view after all.

My other issue is that Williams hasn’t really been convincing at international level since he took over from Itumeleng Khune.

Even on Bafana’s worst days, Khune showed that he had talent. You could at least highlight Khune’s ball distribution, penalty saves and one-on-ones as a strength.

Khune is even in the debate as Bafana’s GOAT goalkeeper. Sadly for him, he has played for the worst Bafana teams, so Andre Arendse and Hans Vonk could be considered ahead of him.

But he’s there in the mix.

What is it really that makes Williams stand out from other goalkeepers? Besides being one of the players with the most caps in the current squad.

Just because you played a lot of matches doesn’t mean you automatically have everyone’s respect or leadership qualities.

This also shuts the door on any other goalkeeper who has thought about challenging for the Bafana No.1 spot, because Williams is now almost guaranteed to start no matter what other goalkeepers do in camp.

Aaron Mokoena played a record Bafana matches as a player and captain, he wasn’t the best player, he achieved all that because he was a favourite for a lot of coaches and the Safa leadership at that time

He walked out on the team when Ted Dimitru cut him as captain for Afcon 2006.

Nasief Morris played on bigger stages at club level and was more talented than Mokoena, this is not just my opinion but the opinion of many of his teammates.

But he played half the matches Mokoena played at international level. Morris was even sacrificed his preferred centreback position to play at rightback for most of his Bafana matches.

Even Khune’s situation was not ideal, although very talented, the guarantees he had as captain of the national team hurt the likes of Moeneeb Josephs, who never really got their chance at Bafana level.

When Shakes Mashaba took over, he was brave enough to throw Senzo Meyiwa in and it worked out as Bafana qualified for the 2015 Afcon. It feels like history is repeating itself.

Tau has always been the main guy for Bafana and has everyone’s respect in the squad, the public and on the continent.

He is without a doubt SA’s best and most valuable player right now. He is also sharp and smart.

This was an opportunity to make the Lion of Judah the face of South African football.

I want to give Broos the benefit of the doubt for this decision. I feel like if he had asked and was advised about the dynamics of South African football he might have made a different call on the captains.

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