BAFANA Bafana coach Gordon Igesund has not fallen for the old myth that success on the African continent can be achieved only with big, physical players and will use the game against Malawi in Durban tomorrow to practise how to manoeuvre around traditional African brutes.
This has opened the door for consistent Orlando Pirates performer Daine Klate to force his way into the coach's final 23 for the Africa Cup of Nations finals next month.
Klate has won every Premier League title in the past five years plus a treble in his two seasons at Pirates, easily the most successful domestic footballer of the past decade, but has never been able to win over past Bafana coaches.
With just nine international caps since debuting in 2005, the pint-sized left-winger has often fallen victim to the size myth and has never established himself at international level. He last got a call-up at the beginning of the year under former Bafana boss Pitso Mosimane.
"It is very important to have physical presence but I don't discount the fact that if we play the right type of football with the players that we've got, we don't have to have brute force," Igesund said.
"We've got enough quality to pass the ball and interchange passes quickly so that people don't even get a chance to tackle us. I'm not one to believe that you just have to have bulk and physical strength."
Klate is enjoying Durban at the moment. He put Lamontville Golden Arrows to the sword almost single-handedly when he scored a marvellous free-kick and set up Happy Jele's goal in the 2-0 Pirates win on Wednesday. He could put left-back Ricardo Nunes, who hasn't delivered the superior crossing and free-kick taking he was picked for, out of business if he gets onto the park against Malawi at Moses Mabhida Stadium, with kickoff at 5pm.
"We all know what Klate is capable of but there are a couple of other players who have put their hands up, making mine a tough task at the moment.
"Each week I've seen players going out there and trying to perform as best they can, doing well and working hard and running.
"As time went, my job got more difficult as more players started putting their hands up saying 'coach I'm here, have a look at me'. Daine Klate is one of many that have done that in the past couple of weeks," the Bafana coach said.
Igesund wants Bafana to play attacking football, and pressure the opposition straight from the kickoff, rather than sitting back and catching teams on the counter-attack.
Klate's big shot to shine
BAFANA Bafana coach Gordon Igesund has not fallen for the old myth that success on the African continent can be achieved only with big, physical players and will use the game against Malawi in Durban tomorrow to practise how to manoeuvre around traditional African brutes.
This has opened the door for consistent Orlando Pirates performer Daine Klate to force his way into the coach's final 23 for the Africa Cup of Nations finals next month.
Klate has won every Premier League title in the past five years plus a treble in his two seasons at Pirates, easily the most successful domestic footballer of the past decade, but has never been able to win over past Bafana coaches.
With just nine international caps since debuting in 2005, the pint-sized left-winger has often fallen victim to the size myth and has never established himself at international level. He last got a call-up at the beginning of the year under former Bafana boss Pitso Mosimane.
"It is very important to have physical presence but I don't discount the fact that if we play the right type of football with the players that we've got, we don't have to have brute force," Igesund said.
"We've got enough quality to pass the ball and interchange passes quickly so that people don't even get a chance to tackle us. I'm not one to believe that you just have to have bulk and physical strength."
Klate is enjoying Durban at the moment. He put Lamontville Golden Arrows to the sword almost single-handedly when he scored a marvellous free-kick and set up Happy Jele's goal in the 2-0 Pirates win on Wednesday. He could put left-back Ricardo Nunes, who hasn't delivered the superior crossing and free-kick taking he was picked for, out of business if he gets onto the park against Malawi at Moses Mabhida Stadium, with kickoff at 5pm.
"We all know what Klate is capable of but there are a couple of other players who have put their hands up, making mine a tough task at the moment.
"Each week I've seen players going out there and trying to perform as best they can, doing well and working hard and running.
"As time went, my job got more difficult as more players started putting their hands up saying 'coach I'm here, have a look at me'. Daine Klate is one of many that have done that in the past couple of weeks," the Bafana coach said.
Igesund wants Bafana to play attacking football, and pressure the opposition straight from the kickoff, rather than sitting back and catching teams on the counter-attack.
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