Mark Williams expresses concern about Bafana Bafana’s striker situation at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast. The team’s opening match against Mali in Group E is causing apprehension due to uncertainties in the striking department.
Williams, a key figure in Bafana’s 1996 Afcon victory, raised questions about where goals will come from in Hugo Broos’s squad, particularly in the absence of Lebo Mothiba and Lyle Foster. Broos is relying on players like Evidence Makgopa, Zakhele Lepasa, Mihlali Mayambela, Percy Tau, Thapelo Maseko, and Oswin Appollis to fill the void in the upcoming matches against Mali, Namibia, and Tunisia.
Reflecting on his own experience, Williams emphasizes the importance of consistent goal-scoring in tournaments and expresses hope that Broos’s team can generate enough goals to advance to the second round. He notes that the goal-scoring issue is not unique to Bafana but is also evident in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), where strikers struggle to reach double figures in a season.
Williams laments the decline in goal-scoring prowess in the PSL, emphasizing that a top scorer with only seven goals is unacceptable. He advocates for specialized coaching in the striking department, a missing element in many teams. Drawing from his coaching experience with SuperSport United, he asserts that scoring goals is a skill that needs to be nurtured and passed on to players.
Discussing the absence of Foster, who could have offered a different attacking dimension, Williams acknowledges the challenges caused by players running off the ball. He urges Broos to have a plan B, especially when players are not available, emphasizing the need for a target man who can provide a consistent and reliable goal-scoring threat.
In conclusion, Williams highlights the critical role of strikers in football and the necessity for a comprehensive strategy to address the goal-scoring challenges faced by Bafana Bafana at Afcon.
