South Africa coach Ephraim \u2018Shakes\u2019 Mashaba appears to have struck a raw nerve with his pre-match comment following his Congo-Brazzaville counterpart Claude Le Roy\u2019s angry reaction ahead of both sides\u2019 Nations Cup qualifying clash in Polokwane on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The Frenchman described the comment by the Bafana Bafana boss as \u2018stupid\u2019, and urged Mashaba to show some humility. Incidentally the comment was made in the run up to Bafana\u2019s 0:2 win away to Congo on Saturday when Mashaba labeled the Red Devils\u2019 number one goalkeeper Chancel Massa as a weak link.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t appreciate it,\u201d said Le Roy who has coached in Africa for over thirty years.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”QF2b7PigjywWwpEzCkIpUcrE9xNfZlgH”]\u201cI never said anything about the other coach, but he said that the goalkeeper (Massa) isn\u2019t very good, and that they know how to beat Congo because if we are not scoring in the first 10 minutes we cannot do anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is completely stupid because Nigeria scored the first goal (in the game which Congo won 2:3 in Calabar),\u201d Le Roy added after his team\u2019s final training before the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very important to talk to the journalists before the game, and remain very humble. Football is a school of humility.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bafana have been in superb form since Mashaba took over three months ago. A win over Congotomorrow would see them book a place in the finals with two games to spare, but Le Roy believes it is early days for Mashaba to gloat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t like some interviews people sent me back. I respect everybody. I never said one word about the coach. When people are new as a coach, or not new but coaching at the highest level only after a long time, they must remain humble.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the former Cameroon, Congo DR, Ghana and Senegal boss is optimistic that his side can still win in Polokwane.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know it will be a very tough, difficult game because Bafana have a very good team, technically [gifted]. But if we won in Calabar, I think we can do something in Polokwane,\u201d said the 66-year-old coach.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
By: Gary Al-Smith\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
South Africa coach Ephraim \u2018Shakes\u2019 Mashaba appears to have struck a raw nerve with his pre-match comment following his Congo-Brazzaville counterpart Claude Le Roy\u2019s angry reaction ahead of both sides\u2019 Nations Cup qualifying clash in Polokwane on Wednesday. The Frenchman described the comment by the Bafana Bafana boss as \u2018stupid\u2019, and urged Mashaba to show […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":56677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[3,38],"yoast_head":"\n