Amajita have a mountain to climb after a rather sour defeat in their first match at the U20 World Cup.
Thabo Senong’s charges lost 5-2 against Argentina in their fourth appearance at the highly-rated youth football showpiece.
The Class of 2009 progressed to the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams in the tournament that was hosted by Egypt.
They were knocked out by eventual champions Ghana.
That tournament launched the careers of many of the current Bafana Bafana players such as Andile Jali, Dino Ndlovu, Kermit Erasmus, Thulani Serero, captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, Kamohelo Mokotjo, goalkeeper Darren Keet and Ramahlwe Mphahlele who captained the side back then.
Can the current crop improve now and better the progress of the 2009 team at the tournament and will we see more stars launch their careers and light up the South African football scene like many of the players from that squad that was lead by Serame Letsoaka?
South Africa’s first appearance at the U20 World Cup was back in 1997 in Malaysia when it was called Fifa World Youth Championship.
That squad featured the likes of David Kannemeyer, Matthew Booth as captain, Stanton Fredericks, Steve Lekoelea, goalkeeper Wayne Roberts and, of course, Benni McCarthy who became legends in their own right.
HARD LESSON: Amajita lost 5-2 to Argentina in their U20 opener. Photo: Supplied.
And these are just the popular names, there were others like Junaid Hartley, Patrick Mbuthu, Nkhiphitheni Matombo, Daniel Matsau, Ashley Makhanya who is in charge of the youth at Wits, Mzunani Mgwigwi, Lucky Maselesele and Japie Motale the brother of Orlando Pirates legend Edward Motale.
I’m mentioning all these names because they were all established first-team players for top-flight clubs by the time they played at the tournament.
And they only finished 20th overall without a win
They drew one match against South Korea and lost both of their other Group B matches against Brazil and France.
The majority of the players that featured in the 2009 tournament were also fully fledged pros by the time they played the tournament.
I’ve already mentioned the group that is still in the Bafana radar.
But there were others who were playing PSL football such as Sibusiso Khumalo, George Maluleke, Sameehg Doutie, Thulani Ngcepe, Mandla Masango, Philani Khwela was a Feyernoord player together with Mokotjo and Erasmus, while Daylon Claasen was on the verge of signing his contract with Ajax Amsterdam.
There has been debate over the selection of the final squad currently doing duty at the U20 tournament in Poland, as there was a larger pool of players plying their trade in teams in European elite leagues than ever before.
There were many that didn’t make the final cut and players playing NFD, ABC Motsepe and MDC football have been preferred.
It’s all very interesting to peel this sour onion called South African football.
But what really matters are the results and it remains to be seen whether Amajita can recover and do better than the guys who played the same tournament 10 years ago.