Former Bafana Bafana champion and current Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy knows a thing or two about football. He is now commenting on the management, training, and conduct of Kaizer Chiefs. “Everybody should be on the same page, wanting to achieve something,” McCarthy said on SuperSport TV via Afrikfoot.com. “Management is doing what they need to do, and the technical team, coaches, and support staff have their part to play.”
“When I see from outside, there is a little bit of an imbalance between the technical team, coaches and the players because the players don’t play like they play for Kaizer Chiefs, the badge and legends that got the team here,” the Bafana legend added. “There is no cohesion, not coordinated properly, but I think once the technical team get on the same page, they can because they have damn good players. “I watched the Richards Bay game. I watched Stellenbosch and the [Soweto] Derby. Those players think they do not belong there, don’t deserve to play for Chiefs and when you believe that, no matter what you do, it will not happen. You have to believe you are good enough. You are at Chiefs for a reason.”
Professional football relies on more than just talent; it depends on cooperation and cohesion among team members. Without cooperation, cohesion, and coordination in training and on the playing field, a team cannot function as a unit against its opponents. The technical team—comprising the coaches and support staff—bears the responsibility of training the players in line with the techniques and strategies they have developed.
McCarthy is right to argue that all professional footballers have the same opportunity to join and compete for a place on the team as those already in it. For Kaizer Chiefs to become a force to be reckoned with, the club must first put its own house in order. Discipline must be instilled across its members and ranks.
Meanwhile, the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Standard Bank have joined hands in a landmark sponsorship. Africa’s largest bank by assets will become an official partner, supporting Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana, and grassroots national teams from 2026 onward.
The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for South Africa, with Bafana Bafana set to compete on the grandest global stage at the 2026 Fifa World Cup in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026. Former Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions Sasol Banyana Banyana are also preparing to contest the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations this year. “This partnership reflects the kind of investment that South African football needs,” says SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan. “Standard Bank’s support will strengthen the competitiveness of our national teams and development structures as they represent our country on the continental and world stage.”
David Hodnett, CEO of Standard Bank South Africa, says: “For Standard Bank, the sponsorship is a natural extension of our commitment to South Africa. Football remains the most widely followed sport in South Africa, playing a unique role in uniting communities and inspiring national pride aligned to our purpose, “Africa is our home, we drive her growth”. Standard Bank’s partnership with SAFA builds on decades of supporting sport initiatives, from junior ranks through to national levels.”
The announcement of the partnership comes as preparation for the recruitment and training of the South African national football team ahead of the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup tournament. Standard Bank’s investment will serve to enhance the team’s training methods and showcase Bafana Bafana’s progress in improving its standing among South Africans. The same applies to the women’s football team, Banyana Banyana. However, it must be emphasized that when money is involved—especially an investment of such magnitude—it must reflect the interests of sport and not merely business. Accountability and transparency must remain the hallmarks of such partnerships.
SAFA and its leadership, including President Hodnett, must be wary and ensure that the funds invested through this partnership with Standard Bank are directed toward the right developments for both the national men’s and women’s teams. Standard Bank, as a driving financial and economic force in South Africa and one of Africa’s most influential banking corporations, must remain guided by ethical principles in shaping the trajectory of South African football and all related partnerships.
How Bafana Bafana and other major South African teams, such as Kaizer Chiefs, assert their positions will determine who competes in the first North American FIFA World Cup tournament later this year.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
