READER LETTER | Soccer bosses need to follow rugby’s example

Virtually all sports codes in SA were banned internationally during the apartheid era. It is interesting to note that since our readmission to the international sporting bodies, rugby has thrived, cricket is competitive but football has been an abject failure.

SA is a sports-loving country. One will always find people playing soccer around townships, children at primary schools to local clubs on Sundays. Schools used to produce excellent players in the past. The likes of JomoSono, Milton Nkosi (Orlando Pirates),the late KK Lentsoane and Lazarus Nhleko, Percival Molotsane (Swallows) are some examples.

Unfortunately, school football is dead and buried. All rugby clubs are coached by local coaches. They play rugby the South African way. There is no inferiority complex in SA rugby about overseas rugby although we were isolated from the international arena for many years.

Rugby administration is professional and it’s geared towards making our country one of the best in the world as evidenced by four rugby world cups. Rugby administrators do not overstay their term of service.

Our soccer administrators need to hold a conference with their rugby counterparts and learn about how to make soccer a successful sport at local and international level. The stadium is always filled to capacity at the Springbok matches but it’s a virtual empty house at Bafana Bafana matches.

Jeffrey Mothuloe, email