Never drop your best players

IT IS unforgivable to play a game without your best players, even worse if a team or country plays major tournaments without them.

There are cases, though, when teams leave their star players out because of injuries or suspensions. But if it could have been avoided it is unfair, particularly to the supporters and viewers who are denied the best entertainers.

I single out only supporters because it looks like they are the most disappointed when their teams or country do not win or achieve the objectives expected.

If the country achieves its objective or wins the tournament then maybe people will not mind because they will be celebrating and proving that no one is bigger than the game. A lot of countries fall victim to this scourge and South Africa is no exception.

In 2010 South Africa hosted two major football tournaments - the World Cup in June and July and the African Women's Championship that ended on November 14.

In both tournaments Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana played without their best players, Bafana Bafana leaving out the likes of Benny McCarthy, Mbulelo Mabizela and Jabu Mahlangu, and Banyana Banyana sidelining Portia Modise, Veronica Phewa, Mpumi Nyandeni and others.

The individual contribution of players, particularly the best ones, is very important as it influences the entertainment value of the game and most times it influences the results as the best players have experience and talent.

The influence of the best players from The Netherlands and Spain proved this in the World Cup here in South Africa. We all remember the spectacular display in front of the big crowds. The supporters enjoyed the World Cup and are looking forward to the next World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

However, there are cases where other countries missed their top players.

South Africa played the World Cup without McCarthy, Mabizela and Mahlangu. Given that Mabizela and Mahlangu were out of the reckoning quite early, maybe we should not touch on them too much, as the blame should be left squarely at their doors and, to a certain extent, at those of their agents or business managers.

The biggest challenge is to trace why Modise, Nyandeni or McCarthy and others did not participate in the two important tournaments, given that Bafana Bafana did not advance as we would have liked and Banyana failed to qualify at home for the 2011 Women's World Cup.

In regards to McCarthy, I think coach Carlos Parreira was able to string the whole country along using scientific research proving that McCarthy was unfit, hence he did not include him in the final line-up of the World Cup 2010.

He based his finding on the saying " if you cannot run, you cannot play" made famous by Scottish-born South African coach Joe Frickleton.

Although I think Banyana Banyana played well and represented our country with dignity in the African Women's Championship, we would have done much better and would have qualified had we had our best players.

Even though I wanted my country to do well and qualify for the World Cup, I knew as the tournament progressed we were going to be exposed and it would be difficult to go further as there is no substitute for extraordinary talent and experience, which Modise, Nyandeni and others have.

Let agents and/or business managers own up as well around players' faults. I hope the exclusion of our best players from the women's tournament was based on a principle.

Let this be the last time we play a major tournament without our best players.

Congratulations to Safa president Kirsten Nematandani, organising committee chairperson Nomsa Mahlangu, the Ekurhuleni Metro and Safa local and regional structures for the support given to the women's tournament.

It would be unfair also to not congratulate equally the people from Ekurhuleni and the entire Mzansi for their support.

• Ntombela is a former Wits and Sundowns player and Under-23 assistant coach.