'The coach has two targets. One, take the team to the semi-finals. The other target is to qualify for the World Cup'
SOUTH African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani yesterday gave embattled Gordon Igesund a boost by hinting that the Bafana Bafana coach's job could be safe regardless of whether or not the country reaches the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Bafana opened the Afcon with an unconvincing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde on Saturday night. Bafana are under pressure to improve on that result in potentially tougher matches against Angola on Wednesday and Morocco on Sunday.
When he was appointed in June, Igesund was given the mandate of reaching the Afcon semifinals and qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. However, yesterday Nematandani said the two were separate targets.
"I get asked the question - is it realistic that the coach has a target to reach the semifinals?" Nematandani said. "I reply, 'But what is the problem with a target?'
"They ask, 'So at the end of Afcon is the coach staying or leaving?' And I say: 'The coach has two targets. One, take the team to the semifinals. The other target is to qualify for the World Cup'."
However, Nematandani also produced plenty of thinly-masked references that suggested Safa at least expects Bafana to reach the knockout stages. "It's good news indeed that the stadium (for Wednesday's game) is almost sold out. Certainly, it's a challenge for us in a sense that when we go out there in a sold-out stadium it requires that, coach, you and your troops - you've got to deliver."
His scolding did not stop at the coach. Announcing prizes of autographed jerseys that were awarded to Bafana players who have recently reached 50 caps, the Safa boss also had a dig at left-wing Siphiwe Tshabalala.
"Siphiwe, with that experience that you have you're supposed to give guidance to the young ones, and of course, when you're in that field your output should really tell that you have gathered that great experience," he said.
Players who received jerseys were Siboniso Gaxa, Itumeleng Khune, Kagisho Dikgacoi (all 51 caps), Katlego Mphela and Bernard Parker (50).
Igesund job safe irrespective of Afcon results
'The coach has two targets. One, take the team to the semi-finals. The other target is to qualify for the World Cup'
SOUTH African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani yesterday gave embattled Gordon Igesund a boost by hinting that the Bafana Bafana coach's job could be safe regardless of whether or not the country reaches the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Bafana opened the Afcon with an unconvincing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde on Saturday night. Bafana are under pressure to improve on that result in potentially tougher matches against Angola on Wednesday and Morocco on Sunday.
When he was appointed in June, Igesund was given the mandate of reaching the Afcon semifinals and qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. However, yesterday Nematandani said the two were separate targets.
"I get asked the question - is it realistic that the coach has a target to reach the semifinals?" Nematandani said. "I reply, 'But what is the problem with a target?'
"They ask, 'So at the end of Afcon is the coach staying or leaving?' And I say: 'The coach has two targets. One, take the team to the semifinals. The other target is to qualify for the World Cup'."
However, Nematandani also produced plenty of thinly-masked references that suggested Safa at least expects Bafana to reach the knockout stages. "It's good news indeed that the stadium (for Wednesday's game) is almost sold out. Certainly, it's a challenge for us in a sense that when we go out there in a sold-out stadium it requires that, coach, you and your troops - you've got to deliver."
His scolding did not stop at the coach. Announcing prizes of autographed jerseys that were awarded to Bafana players who have recently reached 50 caps, the Safa boss also had a dig at left-wing Siphiwe Tshabalala.
"Siphiwe, with that experience that you have you're supposed to give guidance to the young ones, and of course, when you're in that field your output should really tell that you have gathered that great experience," he said.
Players who received jerseys were Siboniso Gaxa, Itumeleng Khune, Kagisho Dikgacoi (all 51 caps), Katlego Mphela and Bernard Parker (50).
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