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Banyana Banyana optimistic following contrasting European tour displays

Lauren Hemp of England battles for possession with Bambanani Mbane and Lebogang Ramalepe of South Africa during their international friendly at the Coventry Building Society Arena in Coventry, England, on 29 October 2024. (Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images)

By Yanga Sibembe

30 Oct 2024

Two defeats to Denmark and England provided various lessons to Banyana Banyana – which they can apply immediately and in the future.

Banyana Banyana played two international friendlies in Europe over the past week. They clashed with Denmark, as well as England. Though they were beaten in both, the matches provided varying levels of lessons for Desiree Ellis and her charges.

Bouncing back from a 5-0 drubbing to Denmark, South Africa’s showing against European champions England on Tuesday was much more assured. In spite of the fact that they were defeated 2-1 by the English, they could have easily won the friendly contest. If only they had been more clinical with the chances they created.

However, the fact that they managed to create those chances in the first place – against an opponent which on paper is far superior to them – is a positive – more so on the back of that Danish beatdown. It would have been easy for the players to come into faceoff with the Lionesses hanging their heads.

“We had good chances. And if we’d taken those chances, we might be talking something different. But those are things we still need to work on. We are preparing for Wafcon (Women’s Africa Cup of Nations),” Ellis said, reflecting on her team’s display.

“So, sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t. Because there is something bigger that we’re preparing for,” the 61-year-old tactician added.

“No one goes onto the field to lose. The 5-0 result is not what we planned. But sometimes that happens when you don’t get things right on the field.

“A lot of those things we got right against England. But the job is not finished yet, we still have a lot of work to do. Not to be perfect, but to be better. We need to improve all the time,” Ellis added.

Captain Thembi Kgatlana, who netted Banyana’s solitary goal against England, echoed Ellis:“It was good to have these two games, because they’ve really helped us in our preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations. It’s a long road. The players and the technical team have an idea of what we lack and also what we’re good at.”

Kgatlana was one of four internationally based South African players who couldn’t travel to Denmark because of visa issues.

Sinoxolo Cesane, Linda Motlhalo and Hilda Magaia also missed out. Their presence and experience was apparent against England as the South Africans held their own.

However, their absence against the Danish was harshly exploited – showing that despite the growing pool of players for Ellis and her team to choose from, they still depend on certain stars to truly compete.

Ageing core

Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis Head (right) during the international friendly between England and South Africa at the Coventry Building Society Arena in Coventry, England, on 29 October 2024. (Photo: Catherine Ivill / AMA / Getty Images)

The problem for Banyana Banyana is that most of these reliable players are not becoming any younger, while their heirs are yet to truly raise their hands.

While Kgatlana is 28 years and has a few more appearances at the highest level, the likes of Refiloe Jane, Bambanani Mbane and Jermaine Seoposenwe are all over 30 years old. These are players that have been crucial for the national team in recent years. But they might not be around to play much longer.

That is why it is important for the country to produce more players who can move to international clubs. Especially with the domestic league not yet up to the level required to compete with global heavyweights.

Future endeavours

Banyana Lauren Hemp of England battles for possession with Bambanani Mbane and Lebogang Ramalepe of South Africa during their international friendly at the Coventry Building Society Arena in Coventry, England, on 29 October 2024. (Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images)

Banyana Banyana have two more matches to play in 2024. The team’s final fixtures for 2024 will be a double-header against Jamaica, which will be played in the Caribbean at the end of November.

The matches will cap a tough year for Ellis and her charges. The long-time Banyana Banyana boss was particularly criticised after her team failed to qualify for the Olympics. This despite her leading the team to their maiden African title in 2022 as well as the last 16 of the World Cup in 2023.

“Our coach has done well. She has put us on the map. But now we need someone with a second plan. Someone with a new vision, someone who can take us somewhere else. Just like she took us somewhere,” Banyana Banyana’s all-time top scorer, Portia Modise, said a few months ago.

Read more: Olympic Games failure a crossroads for Banyana coach Desiree Ellis

“It’s not like if you leave a position, you did not do well. You did well to put us [where we are] … We need to have a way forward. And the way forward is giving other coaches an opportunity to take over where Des has brought us,” the retired striker said.

This is Ellis’s eighth year in charge of the national team. Before that, she served two years as an assistant to previous coach Vera Pauw. Of course, prior to coaching, she was a founding member of Banyana and wore the captain’s armband in the national team colours before her retirement in the early 2000s.

By its nature, the job of coaching is not known for longevity. There are only a few examples of coaches who have stayed in the hot seat of any club for a lengthy period and maintained their success; therefore, people such as Modise feel Ellis should walk away sooner rather than later.

Owing to her achievements, Ellis is highly unlikely to be fired by the South African Football Association. Therefore, the onus lies on her to decide that she’s done her part for the national team. Before she moves from hero to villain. DM

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