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FINALLY, IT RAINED

14/05/2019 00:19:00 BY Lwazi's Pandora's Boxs

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My dearest readers ...
Three weeks ago, an avid reader and fastidious critic of this State-of-the-Nation-Sports-Address (SONSA) was at pains warning me not to ‘over-praise’ new Sihlangu coach, Kostadin Papic for the goalless draw with Malawi because “Sihlangu had not won the game” and would be booted out of the CHAN qualifiers as “they would not win away in Malawi”.

She (oh yes, she is drop-dead gorgeous if her WhatsApp profile picture is anything to go by) reminded me of how every Manchester United fan praised current Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when he took over from Jose Mourinho and went on an eight-game winning streak yet the recent slump in form, which has seen United finish 32 points behind champions, Manchester City, indicates he shouldn’t be on the wheel. She rightly pointed out that it was a giant leap of faith by Ed Woodward to hand Solskjaer the reins when he had no experience. I reluctantly agreed with her on that point because her argument, for all it is worth, disturbed my brain’s hard drive and wiped out about 800 terabytes of memory. I still fired back though.

difference

“Papic has only been in charge for two games and the difference he has already made in the confidence of the team and tactical approach to the game is evident. I believe he will qualify for the first round whatever it takes,” She assured me that should Sihlangu qualify for the next round, she would rush to my humble place of abode to give me a French kiss of a lifetime with Robert Kelly’s 2003 Step in the name of love hit playing in the background. I hope the future Mrs Dlamini doesn’t read this but I am still waiting impatiently for you darling in my birthday suit, nogal.

I digress.

The point I am trying to make here is that this avid reader and many others might have shared the same sentiments that the article I penned three weeks ago, heaping praises on Papic for finally showing us direction; in his own words – taking us from nowhere to somewhere – I had jumped the gun but nothing could be further from the truth. Finally, it rained in the Kalahari Desert! Finally it rained in the Sihlangu desert!

Unless you have been living under a rock over the past weekend, you would not have noticed that Sihlangu finally overcame the hurdle of always losing on the preliminary stage of the CHAN tournament when they managed a 1-all draw away in Malawi to qualify for the first round on the away goal rule. Sihlangu has managed to douse the ‘Flames’ of Malawi away from home and will be taking on the Palancas Negras of Angola in the next round.

Lynchpin Sandile ‘Saviola’ Gamedze scored the all-important goal which has ensured Papic succeeded where many of his predecessors have failed – taking Sihlangu beyond the preliminary round in the CHAN tournament. Never mind the fact that the so-called CHAN is a poor man’s Africa Cup of Nations.

While serious football nations will converge in the Land of Pharaoh’s to participate in the biennial continental showpiece from June 21 to July 19, we will be watching on television. But in our small wacky world of football, qualifying for the next round of the CHAN competition is a big deal. It is a big deal because it gives Kostadin Papic a starting block to also build a team for the future. It gives him a chance to also use the COSAFA Cup scheduled for May 25 to June 8 at South Africa’s playground, Durban, in having a clear indication of how to get us to shed our minnows tag which hangs around our necks like an albatross.

There is no doubt; Chef Papic is cooking a scrumptious stew behind the veil of Sigwaca House. He is giving hope that finally we can play to our true potential. This is certainly not this grandson of Mlonyeni accentuating the positives or a stream of unbridled optimism based on the most slender of foundations. The positive results away in Malawi are full testimony. Of course, these are early days. The onus is still on Papic to change the dynamic of the team, create a dawning sense that at some point in future, the national team will display the unity and purpose that has been elusive for far too long.

He cannot achieve all this by himself. There are still some areas which need immediate attention like our striking force, which has no force. Papic cannot go to COSAFA Cup, for instance, without a proven striker because it could backfire terribly. But as things stand, clearly Papic knows what he is doing. Let him enjoy puffing his cigarette like something out of a 1940’s film noir. Let him quench his thirst with his favourite Windhoek Lager, for all I care, as long as he gets Sihlangu back on the winning trail, he has my outmost support. Good gracious me, it finally rained in the Kalahari Desert!

To the avid lady reader, as Que deep matured soundz, featuring Edgar Thee Mc & Lindiwe would sing, ‘baby are you coming..........’ Heek, heek, heek, heek, heek ...