Amajimbos’ World Cup Preparations In Disarray
Sportswire has learnt that preparations for Amajimbos ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup are in disarray, as coach Vela Khumalo has yet to submit a preliminary squad list for selection.
To make matters worse, Khumalo — who also coaches Kaizer Chiefs in the DStv Diski Challenge — reportedly has no technical support or football official to consult and plan effectively for the tournament.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has also failed to arrange any friendly matches before the U-17 World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar from 2–27 November. Meanwhile, several other nations have already played warm-up games and begun arriving in Qatar.
The situation has been compounded by SAFA’s lack of a technical director following the departure of Walter Steenbok earlier this year — a factor that has severely hindered Khumalo’s preparation efforts.
Although Molefi Ntseki is currently acting in the role, he lacks experience as a technical director and, crucially, does not know how to access FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme (TDS) funding. To access this money, SAFA must submit a detailed proposal outlining budgets, programmes, and objectives.
Under Steenbok’s leadership, SAFA was previously able to access TDS funds to host training camps and conduct player scouting programmes.
Amajimbos have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Qatar, Italy, and Bolivia. This will be South Africa’s second appearance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, having first qualified in 2015, where they finished bottom of their group.
They booked their place at this year’s tournament by reaching the quarterfinals of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, where they were eliminated by Morocco.
When Khumalo was approached for comment after guiding Chiefs to a 1-1 draw against Sekhukhune United at Princess Magogo Stadium on Sunday, he gave a brief update on his team’s preparations.
“Remember, the only preparation we’ve had was when we took the same team to the Zone 5 tournament, where we competed against U-20 sides,” said Khumalo.
“We took our U-17s, and we won that trophy. That was the only preparation we’ve had so far. We’re still waiting for dates and confirmation for camp.”
When asked if he was concerned about the limited preparation time, Khumalo admitted the situation was far from ideal.
“We are running out of time. We really need to get our preparations going,” he said.
Pressed further on whether he believed the preparation was sufficient, Khumalo declined to comment, saying, “Can I please not comment on that one?”
Khumalo’s predicament, however, is not an isolated case.
Last month, South Africa’s U-20 team, Amajita, faced similar challenges before the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. They left the country five days before the tournament without having played a single friendly match — a result of SAFA’s ongoing financial constraints and the lack of sponsorship for both Amajimbos and Amajita.
Despite the poor preparation, Amajita exceeded expectations, reaching the Round of 16 before bowing out 3-1 to a superior Colombian side. Raymond Mdaka’s team finished second in their group after losing to France in the opener but defeating both New Caledonia and the USA.
