Accolades will come if SA up the ante

None of the local players deserve a look-in at the awards being dished out by Caf

IF YOU are surprised that no South African player has been short-listed for the Confederation of African Football (Caf) awards, you are a shocking specimen of a soccer supporter.

Seriously, only a fake of fakes will feign surprise at this sobering fact. What did you expect? Caf do not have - and as far as I can gather, have no intention of introducing one in the foreseeable future - a Best Dance category in their awards.

Otherwise, the competition would be a no-contest. Our beloved Bafana army have in recent times shown themselves to be more adept at shaking what their mamas gave them than shooting the damn pigskin into the net.

This means our players are no-name brands in Africa. Weigh our team, man for man, against the Ivory Coast they played in Port Elizabeth yesterday. It's chalk and cheese.

By the way, three of their stars - stars in the true sense of the word - Didier Drogba of Chelsea, Manchester City's Yaya Toure and Gervinho of Arsenal, are in contention for the top African award.

Don't say this out loud, but Caf are considering an award for failing to qualify for consecutive Africa Cup of Nations competitions on either side of hosting a World Cup.

Thank God, there is no accolade for best reading of the rules. We all know where that would leave us - out in the cold, cursing at confusing regulations, clutching at straws and organising some four-nation tournament to save face and appease a justifiably angry nation.

Much as it pains me to say it, none of our players deserves a look-in. Non-achievement equals non-nomination, no manga-manga business.

There is no conspiracy against our country. Where excellence shines through, it cannot escape even the Caf aficionados perceived to be jaundiced against us people of the south. Otherwise, Noko Matlou would not have won the 2009 Caf African Women's Footballer of the Year.

But there are some among us who can justifiably feel hard done by in terms of omissions.

When Benni McCarthy struck 20 goals in 23 games to grab the Golden Boot with Porto of Portugal, for whom he scored twice against Manchester United en route to winning the Uefa Champions League in 2004, it was not enough for him to be considered for the Caf accolade.

When Steven Pienaar scooped Player of the Season for Everton in 2009-2010, was he nominated? No cigar.

Caf awards can be a tedious jamboree where a winner - Didier Drogba - can be stripped of his crown because he refuses to leave the camp of the Elephants he captains to accept an award in another country (Togo) smack bang in the middle of the Afcon tourney. The 2008 award was conferred on Malian Frederick Kanoute instead.

The sad story of South African soccer is that our so-called stars are just not shining brightly enough to attract the attention of lowly European clubs, let alone Caf judges, biased or not.

Recognition will only come the way of the local lads when they up the ante. Things will change the day we look at our national team and half the selected squad play in recognised leagues.

Though he campaigns in a catchweight league, Secunda star May Mahlangu is making hay while the sun shines in Sweden.

Lavishing in the limelight of being voted Swedish Footballer of the Season, the 22-year-old is an example to be emulated, unlike the hordes who hurry back home on encountering their first hurdle abroad.

The time for SA's so-called stars to stand up and be counted is yesterday.