Amajimbos' World Cup Readiness Faces Major Setbacks

Preparations for Amajimbos Ahead of FIFA U-17 World Cup in Turmoil

Reports indicate that the preparations for the Amajimbos ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup are currently in disarray, with coach Vela Khumalo yet to finalize a preliminary squad list.

Compounding the issues, Khumalo, who also leads Kaizer Chiefs in the DStv Diski Challenge, reportedly lacks technical support or football officials to assist in effective tournament planning.

Additionally, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has not scheduled any friendly matches leading up to the World Cup, which is set to take place in Qatar from November 2-27. In contrast, several other nations have already begun their warm-up games and are arriving in Qatar.

The absence of a technical director since Walter Steenbok's departure earlier this year has further hindered preparations for Khumalo. Although Molefi Ntseki is currently acting in this capacity, he lacks the experience required for the role and is unfamiliar with accessing FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme (TDS) funding, which necessitates a detailed proposal submission by SAFA.

Previously, under Steenbok's leadership, SAFA successfully accessed TDS funds to conduct player scouting programs and host training camps.

Amajimbos have been placed in Group A alongside Qatar, Italy, and Bolivia. This will mark South Africa's second appearance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, following their debut in 2015, where they ended up at the bottom of their group.

The team secured a spot in this year's tournament by reaching the quarterfinals of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, where they were eliminated by Morocco.

After a recent match where Chiefs drew 1-1 against Sekhukhune United at Princess Magogo Stadium, Khumalo provided updates on his preparations. He stated, “The only preparation we’ve had was at the Zone 5 tournament where we competed against U-20 sides, and we won that trophy. We’re still waiting for dates and confirmation for camp.”

When questioned about the limited preparation time, Khumalo conceded that the circumstances were less than ideal. “We are running out of time. We really need to get our preparations going,” he admitted.

In response to whether he thought the current preparation was sufficient, he opted not to comment directly, stating, “Can I please not comment on that one?”

Khumalo's challenges are echoed by the recent experience of South Africa’s U-20 team, Amajita, which faced similar issues before the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. They departed without any friendly matches five days prior to the tournament due to SAFA's financial difficulties and a lack of sponsorships for both Amajimbos and Amajita.

Nevertheless, Amajita exceeded expectations by reaching the Round of 16, before being eliminated 3-1 by a stronger Colombian team. They finished second in their group after defeating New Caledonia and the USA, despite an initial loss to France.