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Sedibe hits road to shape up soccer

SAFA chief executive officer Leslie Sedibe is hitting the road this week.

SAFA chief executive officer Leslie Sedibe is hitting the road this week.

He will travel the length and breath of South Africa to engage the 52 regional structures of Safa.

Development of the game will top the agenda.

"I will be going to Nkandla, Seshego, Thaba Nchu, Itsoseng, Thohoyandou, Galeshewe, Qunu and other areas of South Africa to start the ball rolling in reshaping our football," he said.

"This is an important year for us and I believe I can make a contribution towards developing a new vision for football in South Africa.

"I will also share my vision with all the football family members so that we speak with one voice in mapping the way forward for the game."

Sedibe insisted that they had to lay a solid development foundation to ensure that quality future players can be produced.

"Our aim is to channel more resources into our development programmes so that we can produce great players, referees, coaches and administrators again.

"We are going back to the basics. We will also be working closely with the schools [South African Football School Association]," explained Sedibe.

Soccer legends including Lucas Moripe, Steve Mokone, Jomo Sono, Kaizer Motaung, Doctor Khumalo, Thomas Madigage, David Modise and Harris Choeu were all identified at schools.

"The national executive committee of Safa has made it clear that we must transform soccer in its totality so that Bafana Bafana can be No1 in Africa again," Sedibe added.

South Africa had great players like Lucas Radebe, Khumalo, Neil Tovey, Andre Arendse, David Nyathi, Mark Williams, John Moshoeu, Shaun Bartlett, Eric Tinkler and Linda Buthelezi who won the African Cup of Nations in 1996.

"Besides coming up with solid development programmes for the players, we will also training the administrators, referees and coaches," Sedibe said.

In addition, Sedibe pleaded with South Africans to buy tickets for the Bafana matches.

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