Captaincy was too much for Khumalo – Radebe

Bafana Bafana captain Bongani Khumalo reacts after the team lost to Mali in their Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday (February 2 2013). Picture: Ian Carbutt/The Witness

Former Bafana Bafana captain and defender Lucas Radebe believes it was too early for Bongani Khumalo to be appointed captain of the national team.

Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference for the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards 2013 at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park yesterday, Radebe said: “I think Bongani was thrown in the deep end too early and it was a bit too much for him,” he said.

“Captaincy is a big responsibility which requires focus and someone who can be counted (on) at all times.”

Read: ‘Weakest link’ label news to Khumalo

According to the former Leeds United and South Africa skipper, Khumalo’s isolation and hesitation to seek advice from former national team captains might have been his biggest downfall.

He said: “He needs to spend time with and seek advice from people who have been in his shoes before, that’s the most crucial thing because for instance I could see from a distance what was wrong in that defence.”

Radebe also decried the lack of involvement of former Bafana players in the team – people who “have been there, done that”.

“That is the only way we can improve, otherwise we will keep on saying, ‘Unlucky boys, you did well even though you didn’t lift the trophy’”.

He said the lack of early development of players will repeatedly cost the national team glory because development structures are improper and “that’s where the problem starts”.

Rhoo, as Radebe is affectionately known, also put his money on Nigeria to win this year’s competition and maintained that they owe it to themselves after having last won the trophy in 1994.

» Prominent sports personalities such as Oscar Pistorious, Bryan Habana and Cameron van der Burgh are expected to attend the awards ceremony tonight. The event is aimed at recognising the role of business in sport.