There is no point skirting the issue. South African football needs help and quickly. Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke warned after the slim and somewhat fortuitous victory over Norway that Bafana Bafana were not ready to take on the world's best.

There is no point skirting the issue. South African football needs help and quickly. Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke warned after the slim and somewhat fortuitous victory over Norway that Bafana Bafana were not ready to take on the world's best.

If ever there was doubt over Valcke's sentiments, the meek surrender to Portugal on Tuesday night confirmed the wisdom of his assessment.

Not that we had any great expectations. This is in itself symptomatic of the ills ravaging the national football team. It is sad when the average football fan expects the national team to lose and the only question is by how much.

The South African senior national football team is in a parlous state, and has been for a while. Things are not improving and time is running out. The nation's morale is at an all-time low.

This calls for a declaration of a state of emergency.

The brains trust running the national game and their Fifa counterparts, the sponsors and the state agencies must get their heads together. At the current rate, South Africa stands at the cusp of a making history as the first host nation not to go beyond their allotted three World Cup first round matches.

The age of self-salving bravado is over. We need a new plan and we need it urgently. We are deep into injury time.