Ingxoxo ekhethekile: Uphumela obala ngokwenza iBafana ithwale kanzima kweyokuhlungela
Ngowe-1996 ngesikhathi iBafana idla ubhedu ku-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), uNeil Tovey nguyena owayephethe ibhande likakaputeni.
IBafana yayivutha uphondo ngaleso sikhathi. Ngowe-1998 yazibekisela indawo okokuqala kweyeNdebe yoMhlaba eFrance.
Njengamanje iBafana isidonsa ngodizili. Ihluleke yancama ukuzibekisela indawo kweyoMhlaba ngowezi-2014 nangowezi-2018 eBrazil naseRussia ngokulandelana.
Exoxa nelaboHlanga, uTovey udalule okwenza iBafana ingaliboni elidlalayo emidlalweni yokuhlunga.
“Uma ubheka ukuthi kungani sehluleka wukuzibekisela indawo emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu eminyakeni eyedlule, uzoqaphela ukuthi irekhodi lethu lasekhaya libi. Siyahluleka wukuqoqa amaphuzu ekhaya. Uma sifuna ukudlala emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu kumele senze isiqiniseko sokuthi sibhubhisa kwasani ofika kuleli. Amanye amazwe kumele axegwe amabhulukwe uma ezovakashela iBafana,” kubeka uTovey.
IBafana ihluleke yancama ukuzibekisela indawo ku-Afcon engonyaka ozayo eCameroon.
“Ekhaya kumele siyinqobe yonke imidlalo emithathu kweyokuhlunga ukuze siqoqe amaphuzu ayisishiyangalolunye. Uma singaphumelela ukwenza lokho kusho ukuthi ekuhambeni sesidinga ukunqoba umdlalo owodwa bese sizama ukulwela amaphuzu kule eminye emibili. Lona yiwona ukhiye ozosivulela iminyango yokungena emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu. Awukho omunye ukhiye esizowuthola,” kulandisa uTovey.
IBafana izobhekana neZimbawe neGhana ngenyanga ezayo emidlalweni emibili yokuhlungela ukuzibekisela indawo kweyeNdebe yoMhlaba eseQatar ngonyaka ozayo.
“Irekhodi lethu lasekhaya emidlalweni yokuhlunga lishayisa ngovalo. Silahlala amaphuzu kungenasidingo ngokudlala ngokulingana imidlalo okungamele engabe siyidlala ngokulingana. Ngiyivusile le ndaba njengoba bengumqondisi wosomaqhinga kuSafa. Mina kunendlela engicabanga ukuthi ingasebenza futhi isisize ekutheni sikwazi ukuzibekisela indawo kweyeNdebe yoMhlaba nakweminye imiqhudelwano emikhulu,” kusho uTovey.
Elakuleli sekuphele iminyaka engama-20 lagcina ukuzibekisela indawo kweyomhlaba.
“Uma sifuna ukudlala emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu asikwazi ukudlala kuwona wonke amadolobha. Yebo, kuhle ukuthi wonke amadolobha athole ithuba lokuthamela imidlalo yeqembu lesizwe kodwa lokho akuyisizi iBafana. Kumele sithole inkundla eyodwa okuyiyona esizosobozela kwasani ofika kuleli. IFNB Stadium iyona inkundla esingakwazi ukubhuquzisa kuyona izitha uma zizodlala neBafana,” kubeka uTovey.
Ngomhla ziyi- 6 kuMandulo, iBafana izobhekana neGhana eFNB Stadium.
“IFNB iyinkinga ngezindlela eziningi emazweni asuka ngaphandle. Umoya wakhona womile. Amazwe amaningi ajwayele ukuphefumula umoya wolwandle. Sekuyisikhathi ukuthi siqale sizakhele igama ngokuthi amazwe angaphandle angaphumi namaphuzu eFNB. Uma sishintsha izinkundla mihla namalanga angeke sikwazi ukwakha into ezokwenza izitha zishaywe uvalo uma zizodlala nathi. Izitha kumele zingenwe amanzi emadolweni uma ziza eFNB. Ngezikhathi zethu kwakungaphumi lutho eFNB Stadium,” kuchaza uTovey.
IBafana izoqala ikhasi elisha ngaphansi kobuholi bukaHugo Broos odabuka eBelgium.
“Uma singalungisa izinkinga zethu ekhaya ngicabanga ukuthi singaba semathubeni amaningi okuthi sibone iBafana ibuyela ezingeni layo. Enye inkinga yethu enkulu yindlela esicabanga ngayo. Sinabo abadlali abaseqophelweni lomhlaba kodwa asiqinile ngokwanele ngokomqondo ukukwazi ukubhekana nezimo ezibucayi. Asinayo indluzula. Uma ufuna ukungena kule miqhudelwano emikhulu uyayidinga. Okwamanje asinalo lolo hlobo lwabadlali abakwazi ukubambana ngezikhathi ezinzima,” kuqhuba uTovey.
UBroos ufake iningi labadlali abamele amaqembu esizwe amancane emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu eminyakeni eyedlule.
“Akumele silahle ithemba. Ikusasa liyathembisa ngoba amaqembu esizwe amancane akwazile ukuzibekisela indawo emiqhudelwaneni emikhulu eminyakeni eyedlule. Ake sethembe ukuthi bazokwazi ukusiza iBafana ngesipiliyoni abasithole amaqenjini esizwe amancane.” kuphetha uTovey.