Shabba's goal was the best but it was Bafana Bafana's best

ONE of the occupational hazards of being a columnist is that you have many advisers. Everyone always wants to advise you on what you should write about and occasionally some even want to even shape your opinion.

No prizes for guessing what my seven followers wanted me to write about this week - the derby, of course. But I am afraid I have to disappoint. All I will say in black and white on the derby is that may the best team win, for a change.

My subject of obsession today, however, is that stupid and irrational concept called patriotism. I cannot believe how many times people are expected to view things through the blinkers of nationalism.

Take for instance the latest call for South Africans to vote for Siphiwe Tshabalala's goal against Mexico on June 30 for the Fifa 2010 Goal of the Year prize.

Let me start by acknowledging that Shabba's goal was a brilliant one. It had all the hallmarks of being one of the nominees in the top 10 list for the Puskas Award. And to top it all, it was the opening goal of the World Cup.

But I am astounded by the call for us to vote for this goal simply because it was a goal for the national side by one of us.

The argument is not simply or purely that Shabba's goal was the best, it is mainly that it was Bafana Bafana's best.

Among the goals that Shabba's is competing with for the prize is the one by 35-year-old Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst against Uruguay. The long-range cracker from just over the centre line - from an awkward angle to boot - has to beat Shabba's effort by a mile.

Of course the very basis of thinking that one thing is better or worse than another is a matter of opinion - there is no science to it, and it surely cannot be a matter of patriotism or nationalism.

To make matters worse, I was shocked by the comments of Kaizer Motaung, Chiefs' boss and, in a manner of speaking, Shabba's football dad, who added his voice in beckoning us to vote for his boy.

"I am certain that we shall all rally behind his achievements with votes, considering that he made history as the first South African to score the first goal in the first match that opened an event that was hosted for the first time on African soil. Surely he deserves our unwavering support throughout the voting and crowning process!" Motaung wrote on the club's website.

What a load of tosh! So what if Shabba had scored the goal in the third game? And does this goal make the next goal we score in Brazil in 2014 less significant, even if it is 10 times more brilliant?

I expected better logic from Motaung, whom I hold in the high esteem. I also understand the blind love and loyalty of a parent. But surely Shabba cannot deserve our unwavering support simply on the basis that he is South African, and worse still not for the silly reasons advanced by Motaung.

If we are not going to technically explain why Van Bronckhorst's goal should come second to Shabba's then why don't we go the whole hog and vote Bafana Bafana the team of the tournament?

And if you think this suggestion is absurd, then I see no difference in the campaign to vote for a goal only because it is scored by a South African. What I know is that if Shabba walks away with the Bafana Bafana Player of the Year award tonight, he will deserve it.