Ronwen Williams was a solid figure in goal for SuperSport United while making Bafana Bafana Bafana goalkeeper’s jersey his own after a promising tournament as the national team reached the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in Egypt.
Graduating to the national captaincy, his move to Mamelodi Sundowns at the start of 2022/23, where so many of South Africa’s top players refine and toughen themselves in Caf Champions League football, has seen him displace Downs’ continental legend Denis Onyango and go up a level. Thirty-one is a good age for a keeper to mature. As Williams has accumulated more than 18,000km around the continent in the past few months — and he admits such a schedule takes its toll on a body — a tougher edge to his game has also become apparent.
Since February, Williams has been on long-haul flights to Cameroon, Egypt and Sudan with Mamelodi Sundowns on their Caf Champions League commitments, and played his part in their qualification for the quarterfinals. With a game to go, Downs top Group B as they seek a first final, and perhaps even a second star, since their 2016 triumph.
Williams and teammates Grant Kekana, Thapelo Morena, Aubrey Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane and Cassius Mailula arrived from their tough 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal in Omdurman on Sunday and went straight into Bafana camp the next morning, earning praise from national coach Hugo Broos for their professionalism.
In between travelling on the continent, Sundowns have a rigorous domestic schedule — in the DStv Premiership, where they need two points from seven matches to lift their sixth successive title; and Nedbank Cup, where they are in the quarterfinals.
“It does take its toll, but you need to invest in yourself, in your body and recover and rest well,” said Williams as Bafana prepared meet on Liberia in a crucial Nations Cup qualifier at Orlando Stadium on Friday (6pm). Four points from their games against the Lone Stars — the second is in Monrovia on Tuesday — should see the South Africans through to the finals in Ivory Coast in January and February.
“You play so many games and with the amount of travelling you can’t afford to be up and down in form and mental approach. At the same time, you can’t use the amount of travelling as an excuse because we have days to recover, and recovery is as important as training.
“Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena and the rest of the technical team always emphasise to the players that recovery is as important as normal training sessions.”
Bafana coach Broos has picked quality attackers including Monnapule Saleng, Themba Zwane, Zakhele Lepasa, Cassius Mailula, Mihlali Mayambela, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Lyle Foster and Percy Tau. Such an array of attackers to choose from gives Williams plenty of hope for strong results in Orlando and Liberia.
“We have always complained that we don’t have those serial goal-scorers; we have a few now who are scoring. We need to cherish and help them as a team, including the backline players by keeping clean sheets. All of them are scoring goals, even Orlando Pirates’ on-loan Lepasa scored a brace for SuperSport United a week ago and it is good for us as a team.”
Liberia, ranked 150th in the world, lost their opening “home” game against Morocco 2-0. The game was played in Morocco after the Confederation of African Football ruled Monrovia’s Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium as not up to standard for international matches. Broos has said the country fixed up the ground because they are determined to upset Bafana and reach the Nations Cup, ensuring a hostile crowd greets the South Africans on Tuesday.
“This is what we are up against and we can’t run away from it. A few years ago, the ball was in our court when we had to play against São Tomé and Príncipe twice in South Africa [because of their venue issues]. It’s their luck [to have a home venue again] and we need to focus on ourselves.
“It’s going to be hostile, and it’s these games where characters are built. I am looking forward to it; I enjoy these types of games and hopefully the team will be ready for all the difficulties that side.
“What I have realised over the past few years is that the crowd is there making the noise, but they don’t play the game. You just have to stay focused and prepare well throughout the week — we have a job, which is to play football, and what they do outside the field shouldn’t affect you.
“That’s where the senior guys will help the younger guys because it can be tough and it does get loud sometimes and communication sometimes is a bit tricky. When we get those stoppages that’s when we need to help each other, especially the experienced guys.”
Williams said Bafana are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations, and he hopes South Africans — long disillusioned with the under-performing national team — will come out in numbers on Friday evening.
“We need the supporters now more than ever because we are in this together — if they can play their part we will play ours.
“They need to be that extra man that we have lacked over the last few years, just get the spirit going again behind Bafana and our country. There are so many negatives going around, so come out in numbers, get behind the boys and hopefully we can do you guys proud.”
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