Congratulations to Cape Town City enterprising midfielder Lebogang Manyama for winning the 2016/17 Absa Premiership Leading Goal scorer Award.
Arguably the league’s most on form player, Manyama showed grit and determination to eventually take home the one of the league’s most important award. And that shouldn’t be a surprise if the former SuperSport United player won the Player of the Season Award.
But I want to put my focus on the number of goals Manyama scored that eventually led him to winning the award. 13 goals in 30 league matches for an attacking midfielder or second strikers is not bad at all.
But what about the strikers of the so-called big guns, Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, league Champions Bidvest Wits and United?
None except Tendai Ndoro of Pirates really wanted this award.
And this exposes the country’s lack of development when it comes to goal scoring. This Achilles heel has proven to be a big problem not only in the league but all the national teams as we fail to score goals.
While much emphasis is being put by coaches in ensuring that their strikers score goals, early development is a serious problem.
Developing players at the age of 18 will not solve our problems. But exposes a nation so rich in resources and possess one of the most progressive and lucrative leagues in the world.
Composure, timing, picking the right spot and failing to connect are some of the basics that most players, especially strikers are failing and struggling with.
Since when has South Africa managed to export a decent striker like Benni Mccarthy and Shaun Bartlett to mention but a few?
That clearly showed how lacking we are in producing world-class strikers.
Its serious challenge that need urgent attention otherwise our country will continue to lack behind.
The last local player to have showed us how goals are scored is Fanie Madida and since then only foreign-based players have continued to dominate with Collins Mbesuma record of 44 goals in all competitions still standing.
As we celebrate Zambia for representing Africa with great achievement in the FIFA under-20 World Cup by advancing to the last eight, it is worth noting that they are deadly in front of goals.
Manyama deserves all the accolades but for coaches and club bosses if their teams are to do well, the need to properly develop players at an early age is key to solving our challenges hence starting as early as 6 years is the way to go
In all sport it is necessary a beginning or foundation just as in the school when the student begins his preprimary at the age of 6 and then to the primary at the age of 7 it is the same in the soccer the young age is begun to Discover the natural abilities and is still with the game position but at a young age can be corrected special the technical part and the tactics the player will know to listen then it is necessary to tell the truth not to deceive when we speak of development only to leave the step and is that SA has to change the page and see the reality since we have the youth who are hungry to learn and be a star in the future, but we do not guide him in the way that should be only we look at the players that have skills and dribbling characteristic of SA that if used in football ,but there are other important elements that the player at an early age must learn and correct and there is time to do it in practices and matches that is done weekly and this opinion is observed international Since young players are promoted in different clubs that we can always watch on TV.
We will see next week commenting on the beautiful game
Prof: Augusto Palacios
