Thembi Kgatlana rejects ‘retirement village’ criticism of Banyana Banyana

Thembi Kgatlana has rejected claims that Banyana Banyana have become a “retirement village”, insisting the national team still benefits from the experience of its senior players and must continue blending veterans with younger talent.

Banyana Banyana reached the preliminary round of the World Cup Play-off Tournament later this year after failing to qualify automatically for the 2027 World Cup. Their direct qualification hopes ended when they were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), missing out on a place in the semi-finals.

The result prompted criticism of coach Desiree Ellis’ continued reliance on established players. Ellis retained 16 members of the squad that had previously won the competition, leading to suggestions that the team needed a significant injection of younger players.

Kgatlana, however, believes that assessment is too simplistic. The 30-year-old pointed to Brazil great Marta as an example of an experienced player who remains capable of performing at the highest level.

“I don’t know why people continue to ask that question because in Europe, there’s Marta, for example. She is 40 years old and still playing at the highest level,” Kgatlana said. “I don’t know if the mentality of African fans is that players are simply too old. I don’t think they are.

“As long as the time is right, you need to blend experience with youth. This helps ensure that when senior players retire, there isn’t a massive gap. In our team, the majority of players have played in more than five Wafcons, which is a plus for the younger ones because they are learning every day, in training, and in matches.”

Kgatlana said her own development had been shaped by learning from senior players when she was beginning her international career. She also stressed that squad depth and the contributions of substitutes were essential to achieving results in major tournaments.

“Unfortunately, not everyone will get an opportunity to play in such big tournaments,” Kgatlana noted. “I learned a lot from Portia; even when I only got 10 minutes on the pitch, I was happy with that.

“We saw players come on for 10 minutes while others played 90. That is how we get results by blending the experience of the veterans with the energy of the youngsters.”

Banyana Banyana’s route into the Play-off Tournament has renewed belief that they can still qualify for a third successive World Cup. They appeared at the 2019 and 2023 editions, and now have another opportunity to reach the global tournament despite their disappointing Wafcon campaign.

Kgatlana admitted that the team had underperformed in Morocco, but said an internal review involving the players and coaching staff had helped them refocus on the opportunity ahead.

“We sat down as players and with the coaches. When we reflected, we couldn’t find excuses for why we can’t play,” Kgatlana said. “We are disappointed that we didn’t qualify directly, but we have another chance to make the World Cup, which we have to grab with both hands.”

The team must first turn its attention to the Olympic qualifiers against Morocco in October. Success in that tie would provide a morale boost before Banyana Banyana face the decisive Play-off Tournament later this year.

Mihlali Baleka is currently covering WAFCON in Morocco for IOL, courtesy of Banyana Banyana’s premier sponsor, Sasol.

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