MINENHLE MKHIZE
UMQEQESHI weqembu lesizwe lika-Under-23 u-Owen Da Gama usola amaqembu ePremier Soccer League (PSL) nakuNational First Division (NFD) ngokubambezela inqubekela phambili yebhola laseNingizimu Afrika.
UDa Gama osanda kuhlulwa wukuzibekisela indawo kuma-All Africa Games azoba seCongo Brazzaville ngoSepthemba ekhishwa yiSudan utshele Isolezwe ukuthi kunzima ukuhlanganisa iqembu eliqinile.
Lo mqeqeshi oyiphini lika-Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba kuBafana Bafana uhlalelwe ngumsebenzi wokusiza ama-Glug glug azibekisele indawo kuma-Olympics Games azoba seRio de Janeiro ngonyaka ozayo.
Iqembu lesizwe lika-Under-23 selokhu lagcina ukuzibekisela indawo kuma-Olympics ngo-2000 eSydney, e-Australia.
“Kubuhlungu ukuthi sekuphele iminyaka engu-15 iqembu lesizwe lika-Under-23 lagcina ukudlala kuma-Olympic Games okungeminye yemiqhudelwano esikhiqize abadlali abahlonishwayo emhlabeni jikelele. Ukuze sizibekisele indawo kulo mqhudelwano kufanele senze amalungiselelo ethu ngendlela eqondile. Indaba yokuthi kuhlale iminyaka emithathu iqembu lesizwe lingadlali bese lidlala ngoba sekuza imiqhudelwano efana nale ngeke isisebenzele. Ngesikhathi sidlala neSudan iligi yakhona yamiswa izinsuku ezine kanti iSenegal udlala nayo uthole ukuthi ibophele abadlali abahlanu abagijima phesheya. Kungumsebenzi wethu ukuthi sihlanganise iqembu eliqinile le-Under-23 kodwa akulula,” kusho uDa Gama.
Ngo-2004 elakuleli lihlulekile wukuzibekisela indawo e-Athens, eGreece, eBiejing, eChina ngo-2008 nango-2011 eLondon, e-England.
“Akulula ukudlala nabantu ababophele amaqembu aqinile uqhamuke nabadlali bamaqembu adlala kuSAB League naku-ABC Motsepe League. Abadlala kuPSL nakuNFD abasuke bekhuhla ibhentshi emaqenjini abo. Ngokwami iqembu lika-Under-23 libaluleke kakhulu ngoba yisigaba sokugcina ngaphambi kokuthi abadlali bangene kuBafana Bafana. Inkinga enkulu esibhekana nayo ufike ubhalele iSafa amagama abadlali ofuna ukugadla ngabo uthole ababili kuphela ngoba amaqembu athi ngeke akwazi ukubadedela ngoba le midlalo ayikho ekhalendeni leFifa. Ngaphambi kokuthi siye eSudan ngeSonto nganginabadlali ababili, ngoMsombuluko baba yisikhombisa,” kusho uDa Gama.
Ama-Olympics asekhiqize abadlali abafana noLionel “LM10” Messi weBarcelona no-Angel Di Maria weManchester United ukubala abambalwa.
“Bonke abaqeqeshi abaphathe lo msebenzi bakutshela into efanayo. Lapha ngibala oMich d’Avray, Steve Komphela noConty Kubheka. UMenzi Masuku washaya igoli esanqoba ngalo emzuliswaneni wesibili sibhekene neSudan kodwa nginesiqiniseko sokuthi ngeke ngisaphinde ngimthole. Ubani ongafuni ukuba no-Andile Fikizolo weLamontville Golden Arrows. Singcono kabi kuneSudan kodwa izosishaya uma singabopheli iqembu lethu eliqinile,” kusho uDa Gama ophethe ngokuthi uyethemba ukuthi iligi izoyilungisa le nkinga.
Lo mqeqeshi uphinde wakhala nangekhalenda lePSL.
“Enye into esibulalayo yikhalenda leFifa. NgoJulayi sizodlala neZimbabwe. Ngaleso sikhathi izobe iphakathi nesizini iligi yakhona kanti eyethu izobe isizoqala. Abethu bazobe sebehlale izinyanga ezimbili bengadlali ngoba amaqembu azothi bakhathele uma sifuna ukubaletha ekhempini. Lapho uma usubathola usunesonto elilodwa noma amabili okubenza babe yilento oyifunayo.