Former Ajax Cape Town striker gives his opinion on South Africa's Under-20s | OneFootball

Former Ajax Cape Town striker gives his opinion on South Africa's Under-20s

The journey of South Africa's Amajita at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile was a tale of courage and skill, capturing the nation's heart. They faced formidable opponents, from a narrow 2-1 loss to France and a commanding 5-0 victory over New Caledonia, to a hard-fought 2-1 win against the USA, before their dream was finally ended by Colombia in a 3-1 last-16 clash.

While the nation celebrated their spirit, a discerning eye was cast by former Ajax Cape Town striker and youth development mentor, Nathan Paulse. Now guiding the next generation at Hout Bay United FC, Paulse believes the tournament revealed a critical gap in the South African footballing landscape—one that goes beyond technical ability.

For Paulse, the opening match against France was a stark illustration of this disparity. He observed, “When it comes to seeing exactly what the differences were, for example, the first game against France, it was clear the physical profiles were different. The only three players from us who would fit into that French team were the goalkeeper Smythe-Lowe, the centre back Smith and the striker Magidigidi.”

He argues that South African football has long been resting on its laurels, prioritizing natural talent at the expense of a more holistic development model. “We over-focus on the technical part of the game,” he explained. “Yes, we have a natural flair from the kasi, but at a certain point, it’s resulted in a stubborn refusal to accept what the global game asks of the modern player.”

Despite this critique, Paulse was quick to applaud the team and the coaching staff for their monumental effort with the resources at hand. “But take nothing away from the team. I think they did very well with the available resources and personnel. I don’t know what other players were in the selection pool. But you must applaud coach Raymond Mdaka for setting up the team. I would love to know the physical profile of other players he wanted and how they would fit into the team.”

Looking ahead, Paulse proposes a clear path forward, suggesting that the blueprint for success is already being drawn by the senior national team. He advocates for a unified philosophy, asking, “Should we not be profiling the kind of football that Hugo Broos is playing? The type of players he is selecting and use it as a template for all our junior national teams?”

His final warning is a sobering one for the future of South African football. The game, he insists, has evolved, and flair alone is no longer a ticket to the global stage. “Natural flair is not enough to compete globally,” he concluded. “The physical profile of a player is equally important. The mental side of a player is equally important. Gone are the days of thinking a highly technical team is enough.”