Bafana Bafana Captain Ronwen Williams has stated that there has been a “weird” mood around the Bafana Bafana camp as the team prepares for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The team has joined the camp in a staggered fashion, with Orlando Pirates players being granted two extra days off before reporting for duty following the Carling Knockout final, while Lyle Foster, Sphephelo Sithole and Shandre Campbell will join the team in Morocco as they were only obliged to be released by their European clubs on Monday.
In addition, drama has surrounded the team following Mbekezeli Mbokazi missing his flight and arriving late for camp and coach Hugo Broos’ reaction, which has seen the former Belgian international be accused of racism and sexism.
Williams believes that not having the full team available for the entirety of the camp, as well as the media frenzy surrounding Broos’ comments, has affected preparations for the continental showpiece.
“It’s been a bit of a strange and weird camp for many reasons. Obviously we’re not the full squad and it’s difficult to prepare like that. We’ve had our own small little problems as a team but I’m glad those things happened, especially inside the team going into the major tournament now. We had a chance to sit together, sort things out, try and fix the issues that we have as a team,” Williams said, speaking ahead of Bafana Bafana’s clash with Ghana on Tuesday ahead of the tournament.
“Training has been good but we haven’t been at our best as well. So I think once the team settles down this week, I think things will be better because I had a strange feeling this week that the mood in the team hasn’t been the best. But we’ll sort it out and we’ll keep fighting.”
The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper believes that the team needs to pull together and maintain the standard it has built itself up to over the past two years.
“We know how far we’ve come as a team and as a country and we can’t take steps back now. So we need each other in these moments,” he said.
“In this time, we can only be stronger together. Let’s learn from past mistakes and issues that
we had that affected the team, that affected performances as well. Just give us the opportunity
to go into the tournament with a clear mindset, just to go out there and give our all for the country. That’s what we’ve been doing.”
Bafana Bafana will face Ghana’s team of home-based players, the Black Galaxies, before departing for Morocco where the team is determined to return to the podium.
