OUR friends at Safa have started 2012 with amazing fervour. They released a full list of Banyana Banyana players' nicknames this week. Since Banyana, who qualified for the Olympic Games, are the only team worth writing about these days, it was rather heart warming to see names such as "Baresi" and "Vivo" among a long list of sleep-inducing monickers such as "Catch" or, even worse, "Sju".
SIPHIWE Tshabalala's trials at Crystal Palace had their light moments, with coach Dougie Freedman making fun of his headgear in the freezing weather. An over-eager website reported that despite Tshabalala wearing a hoodie to keep the frosty English winter at bay, Freedman was happy at the way the dreadlocked Bafana star adapted. "He's doing well," Freedman said. "Obviously it's taken a bit of time to adapt to the weather and he's wearing a woolly hat every day." Tshabalala's Bob Marley-lookalike hat was quite a fashion lesson for the not-so-trendy Freedman.
FORMER Kaizer Chiefs and RC Strasbourg midfielder Michael Nkambule has gone AWOL from First Division club Sivutsa Stars after deciding to extend his holiday without notifying his paymasters. Rumours are that the lazy midfielder is driving his white Toyota Avanza taxi in Daveyton. Tsamaya reckons that since he's making tax-free moolah operating as a taxi driver, why should he be bothered with demanding supporters, frustrating football writers and administrators?
FOOTBALL fanatics will be incensed to know that some 2012 Africa Cup of Nations matches will be shown way after midnight, with the SABC giving priority to their 'informative' programmes such as 'Real Goboza', 'Khumbul Ekhaya' and 'Generations'. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
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