Bafana Bafana are back in the spotlight.
And the light is revealing all the cracks as they look to build a successful Afcon 2019 qualifying campaign this time around.
Coach Stuart Baxter had to remind his bosses at the South African Football Association (Safa) that he needs an assistant.
After 15 months at the helm of the national team, he must be wondering if he will get one before they just find a replacement him.
Because if Bafana do fail to make it to Cameroon, you can bet his bosses will gooi hom onder die bus before they take the blame themselves.
They do love to play the blame game at Safa.
Maybe we if that was a sport, we’d be top contenders.
OK, maybe I’m just being suur.
Football is the name of the game.
But for Baxter to do his job, he needs the tools to get his task done and a good righthand man will go a long way to make his job easier.
And the players could do with another mentor on the training field and on match day.
Baxter’s recommendations include Bafana legend and former Manchester United star Quinton Fortune and Orlando Pirates No.2 Rhulani Mokwena.
Either would add value to the backroom staff.
But if it was me picking between the two, I would go for Fortune.
He knows what it takes to win.
And he knows what the players go through with their dealings with Safa.
As a player, he too walked away from the national team over how bosses handle the players.
And he could bring some perspective and calm to manne who are feeling the unwelcome or treated badly.
Talking about players, Baxter has been building the depth in the squad ahead of next Friday’s Durban showdown with Group E leaders Libya.
It’s often a thankless task taking the risk of bringing new talent into a setup that isn’t wildly successful.
Blooding player draws criticism when it doesn’t pay off immediately.
But one player he has bought himself time to mould is 22-year-old striker Lebo Mothiba.
The Lille forward has been called up twice before and has two goals to his name already.
And he has already opened his account in Ligue 1 this season, scoring his side’s first goal of the campaign in a comeback 3-1 win over Rennes.
Baxter will be hoping the laaitie packs in scoring boots when the training camp starts on Sunday.
Also in the young guns crew is Siphesihle Ndlovu.
The Maritzburg United midfield dynamo has been a revelation over the past season and he will add some energy and bite to the centre of the park.
Teboho Mokoena also has something prove alongside SuperSport United club teammate Dean Furman.
The 21-year-old will look to build on his single cap.
The big name in the team, Percy Tau, will be hoping that playing in the Belgian second division hasn’t affected his game adversely.
The reigning PSL Player of the Year opened his account in European football last weekend.
And after scoring against Nigeria in the first group game, he will must show that he is still on the level.