Something changed in South Africa this week as Bafana Bafana finally started to emulate the class of '96. For the first time since that year of optimism, the whole nation swung behind our football team. Afrikaans, dyed-in-the-wool rugby people were pulling for the little black guys in green and gold. Everybody recognised that they had played out of their skins with passion and pride, but also with refined accuracy and not a little technique. The team and its management have long been an example of shambolic organisation. Demanding bonuses on the eve of big tournaments has been a popular tactic that has not endeared them to the people.
All is forgiven. But now is the time to put proper development structures in place, to run football leagues properly, to make the game more inclusive and not the preserve of Africanists, to eject the "big men" who treat the game as their personal fiefdom. And then we'll see something beautiful...
