Former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeperBrian Baloyisays the South African Football Association (Safa) needs to have a conversation with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) about the number of foreign goalkeepers in the PSL. He believes it puts Bafana at a disadvantage. Should injuries occur between now and the World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the US to the three goalies — Ronwen Williams, Sipho Chaine and Ricardo Goss — coachHugo Brooswould struggle for backup.
The World Cup starts on June 11 with Bafana taking on joint hosts Mexico at the imposing Azteca Stadium. “We have no option after the three guys. We are lacking in competition,” said Baloyi.
Baloyi, who played for Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns and made 24 appearances for the senior national team, said Chaine and Goss, who are after Williams in the pecking order, are far behind in quality. “At the moment we have to cross our fingers and pray that Ronnie [Williams] doesn’t get injured because the other two are extremely inexperienced at international level. I would hate to see one of them play at the World Cup without having had a proper induction and introduction into the national team and having that bit of experience.
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But if it does happen, let’s hope they have the character and the personality to stand up to the pressure.” The biggest part of it is that almost 50% of the clubs in the premiership and in the first division are playing with foreign goalkeepers. Unfortunately the nation suffers The PSL clubs are to blame, said Baloyi. Roughly half of the Betway Premiership teams have goalies from outside South Africa, with most being starters, which denies opportunities to local goalminders.
Nine foreign goalkeepers who play in the PSL appeared in the Fifa World Cup African qualifiers at one stage. “The biggest part of it is that almost 50% of the clubs in the premiership and in the first division are playing with foreign goalkeepers. Unfortunately the nation suffers.” He appreciates clubs’ business interests and their aspirations to win titles but insists something needs to be done.
“This is a national problem; it’s not a PSL problem. The PSL and the clubs focus on themselves. They focus on wanting to win.
“So who has to address it? It is Safa that has to address the problem. It has to come up with measures — sanctions or whatever.
It has to be Safa that … sits the PSL down and says, ‘We have this problem, and to solve this problem, this is what we need to do.’ “To address this, you need the top four or five [teams] in the country playing with South Africans between the sticks.
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