We can play entertaining football - Tshosane

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Thursday April 21, 2011 00:00

 

National team coach, Stanley Tshosane, does not lose sleep because critics slam his tactics. He says his ultra-defensive 4-5-1 formation best suits the Zebras and the team can dazzle with a doze of attacking football any day.

Zebras' fans have watched the team evolve over the last three years under Tshosane. He has been berated, but remarkably remained unshaken. His formation has been the target of vitriolic attacks. Critics say a technical adviser to Tshosane is the solution as the Zebras head to oil-rich Equatorial Guinea and Gabon for the Africa Cup of Nations finals. But the former BDF XI tactician is unfazed by such suggestions.

Tshosane has taken a lot of stick despite the admirable performance of the team. He has endured often frustrating criticism usually accompanied by sceptical celebrations, a familiar cocktail which he has learnt to live with.

In fact, Tshosane says he does not care what 'clueless' people say about his methods. 'From the onset, I knew what I was doing,' he repeats a line that has become all too familiar since qualification was sealed. I am not trying to be impossible but we knew what we were doing,' he declares.

Tshosane has stuck to the 4-5-1 formation since day one of the qualifiers, a strategy that has delivered qualification. AFCON qualifiers' leading goal scorer, Jerome Ramatlhakwana has been an integral part at the head of the diamond.

He netted five times for the Zebras despite seeing little action at club level. Under Tshosane, the defenders do not venture forward too much and stay in position. This has seen the team concede only two goals thus far in the campaign. In the past, the Zebras' defence overlapped and surged forward with increasing frequency leaving suicidal gaps at the back. Tshosane felt the movement left the team vulnerable at the back and chose to close shop.

The defensive formation is often despised as offering few scoring opportunities. Tshosane is not blind to this fact and says he deliberately deployed a lone striker looking at the strength of the opponents. 'I had a long-term plan and even people who were advising me were impressed with the plan. I researched very well. That is why I was not bothered by critics,' he emphasises. And why is he a firm believer in the 4-5-1 formation?

'As I said, I researched why we have been failing in the past. I realised that the way we were approaching teams was our downfall. I looked at the players we had and decided the 4-5-1 was the best. I needed fast players from the flanks and someone to support the top man (Ramatlhakwana) coming in very quickly, but I didn't find such a player.

I looked at Dipsy (Diphetogo Selolwane) who is a good ball passer and I felt he could move in to support the target striker.' Tshosane says he analysed the opposition and discovered that the Zebras could not compete with them 'pound for pound'.

That is why he decided to adopt a defensive formation. He told his team to play deep in its own half, thus drawing opponents out. 'The target was to catch them on the break and score first and then defend well, which is what worked,' Tshosane says.  But despite the success, there was still criticism from the terraces about the ugly football. In reaction to the criticism, a visibly agitated Tshosane says: 'Let me tell you, I am a professional coach.

I should not listen to people who do not know what they are talking about. People who are criticising do not know football, so why should I bother? We have been entertaining supporters without any result. I can tell you that if we want to entertain, we can do it. Very soon you will find out'.

Two dead rubbers against Malawi and Togo offer Tshosane the opportunity to unleash an attacking brand as he has nothing to lose. The coach has hinted that there might be changes in the remaining fixtures and he might be tempted to tamper with his trusted 4-5-1 formation.