THE hard questions about Banyana Banyana's failed African Women's Championship (AWC) campaign will have to wait.
Coach Vera Pauw yesterday declined to talk about her team's unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2015 World Cup, saying she was too shocked by the death of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa.
The South African Football Association hierarchy were also present, but they too shied away from addressing what had gone wrong in Namibia.
"If we were disappointed that Banyana didn't qualify, we're totally destroyed [and] devastated by the news of Senzo," said Safa president Danny Jordaan.
Banyana returned home yesterday after finishing fourth at the AWC, where they had needed to end in the top three to qualify for next year's World Cup.
They had finished no worse than third in the previous four editions of this continental tournament.
Pauw said: "What happened [to Meyiwa] is something that you cannot imagine, and I have real difficulty talking about football at the moment."
Questionable tactics and bad selections contributed to the team's poor performances, responsibility for which should lie squarely at the feet of the 54-year-old Dutch coach.
Former Banyana coach and current technical director at Safa, Fran Hilton-Smith, travelled with the team but would not be drawn on the reasons for the team flopping, saying the coach would have to provide them.
"I thought the team played very well. I thought there's been a major step up in the way they play, their tactics," said Hilton-Smith.
"I thought they did well [but] this just wasn't their tournament.
"There will be a meeting now to discuss the way forward. The coach has to give a report then we will have a meeting with all of the relevant role players and technical committee to plan the way forward."
No answers just yet for Banyana's failure
THE hard questions about Banyana Banyana's failed African Women's Championship (AWC) campaign will have to wait.
Coach Vera Pauw yesterday declined to talk about her team's unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2015 World Cup, saying she was too shocked by the death of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa.
The South African Football Association hierarchy were also present, but they too shied away from addressing what had gone wrong in Namibia.
"If we were disappointed that Banyana didn't qualify, we're totally destroyed [and] devastated by the news of Senzo," said Safa president Danny Jordaan.
Banyana returned home yesterday after finishing fourth at the AWC, where they had needed to end in the top three to qualify for next year's World Cup.
They had finished no worse than third in the previous four editions of this continental tournament.
Pauw said: "What happened [to Meyiwa] is something that you cannot imagine, and I have real difficulty talking about football at the moment."
Questionable tactics and bad selections contributed to the team's poor performances, responsibility for which should lie squarely at the feet of the 54-year-old Dutch coach.
Former Banyana coach and current technical director at Safa, Fran Hilton-Smith, travelled with the team but would not be drawn on the reasons for the team flopping, saying the coach would have to provide them.
"I thought the team played very well. I thought there's been a major step up in the way they play, their tactics," said Hilton-Smith.
"I thought they did well [but] this just wasn't their tournament.
"There will be a meeting now to discuss the way forward. The coach has to give a report then we will have a meeting with all of the relevant role players and technical committee to plan the way forward."
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