A kid with the right attitude

WHILE sharing a table with Eleazar Rodgers the other day, we were told about a recurring dream the youngster's been having over the last few months.

WHILE sharing a table with Eleazar Rodgers the other day, we were told about a recurring dream the youngster's been having over the last few months.

The lanky Santos player - who has just one season in the top flight after playing in the lower tier as recently as last year - says he dreams he's standing with a group of players inside a stadium locker room that he does not recognise at first.

Then he notices that he is draped in a Bafana Bafana jersey and national team coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is barking instructions while assistants Jairo Lopes Cesar Leal and Pitso Mosimane look on.

After the pep talk is over, the group exits the room and a still-dazed Rodgers follows without asking questions.

The short walk from the locker room leads to the tunnel of the stadium and it is at this point that Rodgers realises that he is at a refurbished Soccer City (otherwise known as FNB stadium).

The deafening noise from the stands is unlike anything he's ever heard in his life, and it finally dawns on the young player that he is about to star in the opening match of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Rodgers told us that he intends to work hard towards ensuring that the dream becomes a reality and that he is part of South Africa's historic starting line-up in three years' time.

His nomination as a finalist for the premiership's rookie of the year award a few days ago was simply a stepping stone to greater things and he reckons this is all part of the journey towards claiming the Bafana jersey in 2010.

It helps that he has already captured Parreira's attention and even featured in the Bafana squad that qualified for the semifinals of the Cosafa Cup after beating Mauritius 2-0 at the Somhlolo Stadium in May.

Rodgers has also won a place in the national under-23 squad and could find himself on his way to the Olympic Games next year if coach Steve Komphela's squad qualifies.

Refreshingly, Rodgers insists that he's not owed anything by anyone and his progress in the national teams is due to lots of hard work.

He knows that his dream is not unique and a million other players also dream about playing in that 2010 World Cup opening match.

He knows that he needs to work hard in the intervening years and earn his place on merit.

Pity then that players like Jabu Mahlangu are still under the illusion that South African football owes them.

I remember the guy feeding me a pile of rubbish and telling me that he was a national asset and needed to start playing for Bafana again for the national team's sake.

Colleagues were rolling in the aisles after reading that interview as our Mahlangu has a very different set of priorities and spends more time AWOL than at actual training.

Many other talented players are wasted in the same fashion and it's a damn shame.

Too bad there aren't more young players with Eleazar Rodgers' attitude.