This week’s show looked at the science inside the 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup. The players, the stadiums, the health and injuries of this incredible event. We’ll take you back to our own world cup experience in 2010 and explore some of the technologies that will be used for the first time in this year’s world cup, in Brazil. What does it take to build a stadium and why is mexican beef bad for footballers? We’ve also got a bit of a shocking story about a TB clinic in Jo’burg.
A WitsVuvuzela journalist was mugged at Wits on Wednesday night after the Orlando Pirates vs. Bidvest Wits soccer match.
The journalist, who asked not to be named, said he was in the Wits parking lot behind the stadium when he was approached by two men in Orlando Pirate shirts.
“I was on my way to my car…there were not a lot of people there at all and it was dark,” he said.
The men demanded that he hand over his valuables. At the time he was in possession of his car keys, cellphone and a camera.
“I wasn’t sure if they were armed and I didn’t want to get aggressive so I just gave them what they wanted,” he said.
[pullquote]“I wasn’t sure if they were armed and I didn’t want to get aggressive so I just gave them what they wanted[/pullquote]
He handed over his phone and managed to get away before they could get the other items.
He then ran back to the stadium to ask the on-duty police for help, “they tried [to help] but they told me there was nothing they could really do because there were so many people,” he said.
Over the past few weeks there has been a surge of crime in and around Wits campus. Last week Wits Vuvuzela reported three attempted kidnappings outside Main campus in Braamfontein.
Students are urged to be careful and vigilant especially when walking or driving alone at night.
Luca Kotton, former academy player at Platinum Stars, Junior national player and current academy coach at Balfour Park Alexandra. Photo: TJ Lemon
No single association in South Africa has taken the responsibility to solve the problems we face in South African football. With current uncertainty over the position of Bafana Bafana coach, Luca Kotton, Wits Vuvuzela journalist and a soccer player, weighs in on the crisis in South African soccer.
The issues
Our current football leadership structures remain in disarray, with not enough time and effort being put into developing young talent across the country. The once successful School of Excellence is a shadow of its once very capable hands that saw the likes of Steven Pienaar being produced. This is an abuse to a country whose football talent far exceeds others. Football leadership is a vital part of our country succeeding on an international level. In many other countries pride is taken in developing their national youth soccer teams whereas, in South Africa national youth soccer teams are almost nonexistent. When compared to other higher internationally ranked sporting codes such as rugby and cricket, school soccer is clearly on the back foot.
[pullquote align=”left”]”The problem is everybody knows the problems but whose going to fix it. Let’s not talk, talk, talk, and let’s do it.” [/pullquote]
These issues extend to the highest organisational levels where the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and SAFA (South African Football Association) fail to see eye to eye in many circumstances. One of the consequences of the lack of synergy between these two key organisations is the repeated drama clubs not releasing players for internationals like the African Nations Cup. But where do we go from here? Who is the right person for the job?
Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt, who has often been rumored to step into the national coaching job by media, said there was a need for football associations to take a more proactive stance. “It was needed 20 or 30 years ago, the problem is everybody knows the problems but whose going to fix it. Let’s not talk, talk, talk, and let’s do it. We need people who know what they doing and the problem is do they know football,” he said.
Possible solutions
Local academy coach Daryn Patricio, who is linked with the Dutch football association (KNVB), said the Dutch system advocate linear thinking between all coaches and all members associated with the KNVB. “The Dutch Federation has a very simple way of thinking, you help me and I help you. The Dutch have two important parts to their success. First, they have a coach’s database, where amateur coaches can interact with the national team coach. The second is that each coach needs to re-take his or her coaching license every three years.
Failure to do so results in the license being revoked. The system works because it keeps the whole of the Dutch football community on the same page. This way of thinking would aid our national team because all our coaches would be on one similar path, instead of everyone trying to outdo each other.
SAFA needs to carefully think about their next move in terms of coaching and youth soccer development. A clearly defined youth program is needed if we aspire to be at the levels that Brazil displayed at FNB stadium on March 5 when they beat Bafana Bafana 5-0. For the sake of all the talented youngsters playing on the streets, in townships and school grounds, let’s hope the new SAFA can do justice to our future football stars.
The Bidvest Wits team, despite going down 2-1 to Orlando Pirates the previous night, were happy to mix with their supporters on Wednesday during O-week. The team gladly posed for pictures, signed autographs, and chatted with students, while smitten females fans ogled their favourite players as the gents looked on in jealous admiration.
TIMELINES on twitter are clogged up by constant sports updates on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The most tiresome of the bunch are the football ones, random tweets with things like “foul ref!”, “4-3-3” and “what a cross”.
Maybe a little understanding of the so-called beautiful game would lead to less annoyance come kick-off time. I decided to find out what the basics are, so that I too can get angry when people are offside and tweet about it. Along with this I am on a mission, like Will McAvoy, to civilise, to reform the poor spectator abilities of those of us who watch for ‘hunks of the week’ instead of ‘sportsmen of the week’.
Soccer versus football
Firstly there is a whole debate about whether to call it soccer or football, football or soccer.
“It’s fashionable to be angry and indignant at people who call it soccer instead of football, it’s f***ing bullshit” said one dreadlocked enthusiast.
He went on to explain that people have become obsessed with calling it football as a way to defy the Americans. They call it soccer so as not to be confused with their American football, also known as fake rugby.
“Just because European football is considered better, now all of a sudden we want to change what we’ve been calling the game for years, it’s soccer man!” said someone in the newsroom.
Good on those who choose to colour outside of the lines drawn by those in the land of the free, but let’s just stick to local lingo and go for diski.
I went around asking semi-keen people what they were unsure about or wanted clarity on when it came to diski. The responses included “what the hell is offside”, “are the soccer players single?” and “what do those numbers like 3-5-2 stand for”.
4-3-3: Formations in football or soccer (whatever you call it) are used to ensure flexible play but given the fluidity of the game they can become redundant. Graphic: Provided
Offside rule
The offside rule is actually quite an easy one to wrap your head around and once you do, the game starts making sense.
The FIFA rule book says “It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent”.
Student and avid football lover Brendan Zietsman said to imagine this scenario:
“You are at a club and you see a girl/guy you like. Another person has seen the girl/guy too and they have a drink in their hand for that person. Your friend slides you a drink across the bar to give to the girl/guy. It would be wrong of you to step in front of the other person before their drink has left their hand. That is offside”. Simple.
Hotties on the pitch
The second response points to the question on many minds when they watch 22 men running around after a patent leather ball. I will admit that I am one of those people.
When the teams line up I watch out for a hottie to keep my eyes on for the 90 minutes that will follow. Every team has that one player who captivates the imaginations of those of us who aren’t ‘fans’.
Formations
3-5-2, 4-3-3 and 4-5-1 are “those numbers” which indicate a team’s planned formation for the game. Formations are used to strategically place players across the field, to enable them to attack and defend in the best ways possible. Now to watch a match to see if I scream “offside” at the television with confidence.
THE WITS student team did most of the early running against the University of Pretoria (Tuks) in their second-round match of the Varsity Football tournament.
But Wits, just as they did last Monday in a 4-0 loss to North West University – Mafikeng Campus, failed to turn that pressure into goals, going down 2-0 to Tuks.
Again, Wits was put to the sword by an opponent simply more ruthless in front of goal than our boys in yellow.
Tuks scored two unanswered goals in front of their home crowd at the Tuks Stadium to notch up their first win in the second week of the nine-week tournament.
Wits just cannot score
Wits suffered their second straight loss and another 90 minutes without scoring on a cold night on the Highveld, made colder by the disappointing result.
Things, however, did not start out bleakly for the Witsies, and a powerful shot from outside the 18-yard area in the 12th minute forced the Tuks goalkeeper to punch the ball past his right-hand upright for a corner.
It was a signal of intent from Wits, and while Tuks struggled to settle into a rhythm, Wits passed the ball with purpose.
This did not last though and soon Tuks took control of the game and besieged the Wits goal with attack after attack.
Unsurprisingly, Tuks took the lead after attacker Mosa Sesele headed in a cross from a well-taken corner.
Before and after the goal, goalkeeper Mohale Kgabusi more than proved his abilities, making many brave saves to keep Wits in the game.
Wits had opportunities to level the score, but did not do enough to breach the Tuks defence.
When Wits finally does score…
Tuks got their second goal handed to them on a platter in the 89th minute when Wits defender Nelson Mwale scored an own goal.
Mwale was caught stranded after he could not get out of the way of a low and powerful cross following a Tuks counter-attack.
North West University (NWU) are early favourites to lift the inaugural Varsity Football title, after the men from Mafikeng thrashed Wits 4-0 at Milpark Stadium on Monday night.
The launch of Explosive Mondays, where student football teams from eight universities around the country will compete every Monday for the next nine weeks, was festive and filled with entertainment on and off the field.
The match, played in front of a packed a home crowd was beamed live by DStv channel Supersport, as will 15 out of the total 33 games, and this raised the atmosphere to fever-pitch on a frosty night in the Highveld.
Prizes on offer for those who braved the cold added to the atmosphere. Cash prizes for the most vocal fans and res’s with the most colourful supporters, a raffle for five cases of beer and a sea of freebies made it a memorable evening.
Memorable that is, for all except the Wits student team, who were a goal down within the first 15 minutes, and forced to chase shadows in the second half when UNW put on an exhibition of idiski, or more precisely “ukupencila” – vernacular in South African townships for “keep-ball” and dribbling.
While the team from the North West was much fitter, quicker, and more aggressive in attack throughout the 90 minutes, the score at half-time could have been in Wits’s favour had the home team turned their dominance in possession into goals.
Wits were comfortable on the ball playing crisp, one-touch football that delighted Witsies, who chanted war-cries and bayed for NWU’s blood.
Phenyo Mongalo, Zachary Cohen, and captain Mzimkhulu Nhlengethwa were inventive in midfield and fed the strikers well, but Wits front-line just wasn’t up to the task and squandered plenty of chances to score.
Wits paid the ultimate price for their wastefulness, conceding a penalty in the 11th minute and another three goals in the final quarter of the game.
Wits head coach, Karabo Mogudi attributed the disappointing performance to the recent university vacations, which he said affected his team’s fitness.
“If our conditioning level was at the required standard we would have done much better,” he said.
He also said the tournament was a great initiative, but stressed that it was important for the players to be successful on and off the field.
“I’ll only know the benefits of the tournament at the end of the year, when everyone passes and does well in their studies … when they come back to me and say ‘coach, I don’t owe the University anything”.
Oh dear! The fourth goal really knocked the stuffing out of Wits Photo: Prelene Singh
BIDVEST Wits’ hopes for a top four spot were dealt a blow when they lost 2-1 to Platinum Stars on Wednesday in an ABSA Premiership match at the Bidvest Stadium.
The opening minutes of the match were characterised by strong defending as both teams fought to keep a clean sheet.
Bakwena wasted plenty of scoring opportunities with the team from Rustenburg shooting largely off-target and Bidvest Wits goalkeeper Emille Baron in fine form.
The Clever Boys, however, were first on the score sheet in the first half courtesy of striker Ryan Chapman, who out-foxed the Platinum Stars’ defence, scoring his sixth and Wits’ 25th goal of the season.
The home team was emboldened by the goal and went in search for a second, with Bryce Moon coming close with a right-footed attempt, as Bidvest continued to rattle Platinum Stars’ defence. Wits ended the first half the stronger team, finding spaces in the Stars back-line with ease.
The match was not shy of fouls with referee Daniel Bennet forced into awarding a number of penalties.
Close to half time, Wits was awarded a penalty after Thomas Gumede’s mis-timed tackle on Bidvest captain Sibusiso Vilakazi. To the home crowd’s dismay, Vilakazi’s spot-kick was saved by Stars goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane.
The Clever Boys were made to pay for the miss when Platinum Stars midfielder Mogakolodi Ngele netted the equaliser on the stroke of half time.
Platinum Stars made the momentum count when Ngele scored his second of the night, this time from the penalty spot after a hand-ball by Bidvest.
Bidvest Wits’ Asive Langwe missed numerous opportunities to bring the team’s score higher and he was eventually substituted in the 75th minute.
The rest of the half was marred by fouls and scrappy play by both teams and ended in victory for the visitors from Rustenburg.
Three additional minutes were added to the 90-minute match, but proved useless for the Clever Boys and sealing a victory for the Bakwena.
Platinum Stars is now positioned second in the Premier Soccer League standings, while Bidvest Wits is in sixth place. Wits is one point off a top four spot with five more rounds left to play in the league.
A SET piece goal from Timothy Batabaire avoided a 6th consecutive loss for Bidvest Wits in the Absa Premiership. The Clever Boys played to a 1 – 1 draw against Ajax Cape Town on Wednesday night at the Bidvest Stadium.
Only a handful of fans braved the chilly Joburg weather to watch the match, which saw Ajax dominate possession early in the game.
Their consistency paid off in the 10th minute when Thembinkosi Fanteni opened the score sheet after he beat the keeper from close range.
Wits’ first real chance at scoring came from Sifiso Vilakazi ten minutes later, with a left-footed shot that went over the crossbar. Vilakazi subsequently missed another chance at goal in the 20th minute when he failed to convert a cross from Katleho Pule from 25 yards.
In the 59th minute, Ajax’s slim lead was cancelled by Batabaire’s equalizer.
A late strike by Asive Langwe in the 82nd minute was deflected over the bar by Ajax goalkeeper Sander Westerveld.
“We’ve conceded a lot of silly goals”.
Bidvest Wits coach Roger De Sa said it was “expected” of the Clever Boys to equalize. “They’ve got fantastic character, they come from a development that’s well groomed”, he said.
The coach lamented the careless mistakes which his players sometimes made. “It’s just the silly goals we concede sometimes that become a bigger problem for us, and we’ve conceded a lot of silly goals this year out of silly errors,” he said.
Wits take on log leader Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday, just 3 days after their encounter with Ajax. “We don’t have too much time to prepare, it’s more a question of rest”, De Sa said.
Wits beat Pirates in their last PSL encounter 3 – 1. Wits is currently 13th in the Absa Premiership log table, and haven’t yet won a game this year.
CHASING VICTORY: Wits is currently 13th in the ABSA Premiership log table, and haven' won a game this year.
Published in Vuvuzela 12th edition, 20th April 2012.
Wits women's forward Marcele Kutumela (left) scored a brace agaimst TUT Soshanguve on Tuesday night
AN own goal halfway through the second half cost Wits men’s soccer team a top four spot in the USSA (University Sports South Africa) league.
The Wits men played their last league game on Tuesday night against TUT Soshanguve.
They had to win the encounter while TUT needed only a draw to go through to the national playoffs.
A TUT corner kick saw a scramble for the ball, resulting in Wits’s Bandile Mathandela’s attempt to clear roll into his own net.
Wits lost the possession they had gained at the beginning of the first half and lacked the firepower at the front of the posts.
They struggled to keep up with TUT, who attacked mainly from the wings.
After the final whistle, the Wits men missed out on a fourth place spot and had to settle for fifth place, the same position their female counterparts occupy on their league.
Wits men’s coach Karabo Modupi said his boys struggled with nerves as they knew they had to win and their opponents needed a draw.
Similar sentiments were echoed by women’s coach, Dennis Tshabalala, after the women lost to the University of Pretoria last Thursday at home and missed out on the play-offs.
Modupi said he needs to work on the mental aspect of the game with his boys and that he hoped the university would support them with playing in the Castle League.
“Our competitive level can be higher because most of the teams we play against such as UJ play in that league.”
The women gave Wits something to smile about when they beat TUT 3-2 last night, and ended their USSA league fixtures.
BIDVEST Wits play their first match of the 2011/12 Absa Premiership season on Sunday.
The team will hope to put last weekend’s MTN 8 quarter-final loss to Kaizer Chiefs in the past and move on quickly when they travel to Harry Gwala Stadium to face Maritzburg United.
Despite the 2-1 knockout defeat against Amakhosi at FNB Stadium, the Clever Boys displayed great attacking football with danger-man Bhongolwethu Jayiya’s skill and pace causing all sorts of problems for the Chief’s backline in the game’s opening minutes.
Wits stunned Chiefs by taking the lead in the 11th minute through a headed goal by new signing, Sboniso Gumede, after a floated Jayiya corner kick.
Nine minutes later Gumede went from hero to villain by conceding a penalty with an ill-timed tackle on Mandla Masango in the 18-yard box. Amakhosi striker Bernard Parker, on his official debut, slotted the spot-kick into the bottom corner giving Wits keeper Emile Baron no chance of saving.
Chiefs then scored their second goal, and the match winner, four minutes before half-time through Masango who received a brilliant chipped pass from Lehlogonolo Majoro after good interplay by the Chiefs front players.
Despite a few minor errors at the back, Wits coach Roger De Sa will be pleased with the team’s progress so far and hope to keep the attacking momentum displayed by the team at the weekend into Sunday’s game.
Wits will need to create more clear-cut scoring opportunities than they did against Chiefs if they stand any chance of overcoming Maritzburg United and bagging three points. The Students will be boosted by the return of striker Sibusiso Vilakazi to training this week after being forced to sit out in previous games through injury.
Getting the season off to a winning start will be a priority for both teams, and the very competitive match will be played at a high tempo. This fixture produced a 1-1 draw last season, but it is Maritzburg United which has the upper hand after having beaten Wits 2-1 at Bidvest Stadium in their second fixture in the latter stages of the season.
In episode six of We Should Be Writing season 7, the team unpacked the evolution of music as a form of expression and protest, through four decades in the South African context. The episode explores the journey of South African music and its consumers from the 80s, 90s, early 2000s and contemporary listeners. From the […]
