Key South Africa cog Tshabalala praises Parreira

Siphiwe Tshabalala has been transformed from a fringe club footballer to a key South Africa World Cup cog within 12 months.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira paid the diminutive left-side midfielder a huge compliment recently by branding him a “Brazilian” when it came to football.

Tshabalala faced the media Tuesday at a hotel in the swanky Sandton district of Johannesburg just three days before reaching a half-century of caps in the opening World Cup match against Mexico at Soccer City.

How did a footballer struggling to make the starting line-up with popular domestic club Kaizer Chiefs turn into an ever-present for Bafana Bafana?

“Carlos brought out the best in me,” he replied, visibly in awe of the 67-year-old Rio de Janeiro-raised grandfather who has turned South Africa’s fortunes around within eight months.

“He has given me my confidence back. I aim to repay him during the tournament because he really helped me a lot and now I enjoy my football.”

Tshabalala was quizzed about the recipe that has seen a national team which lost eight of nine matches after the 2009 Confederations Cup transformed into one unbeaten in 12 World Cup warm-ups since holding Japan goalless.

“When the coach joined us last November he made us work on the basics — playing simply and keeping the ball on the ground,” revealed the 25-year-old native of Soweto who first kicked a football competitively when he was eight.

“He has tremendous experience of the World Cup. Add our new-found fitness and we are more than ready for Mexico and all the other challenges the tournament will throw up.”

Apart from attacking defenders, the 1.70-metre South African is among the best in the team when it comes to the traditional domestic achilles heel of set pieces.

And he packs a heavyweight shooting punch for a physical lightweight as Norway and Paraguay will testify with scorching Tshabalala drives rattling the net before either goalkeeper could react.

Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune assured reporters he would be fully fit for the Mexicans, whose impressive warm-up schedule culminated in a 2-1 victory over World Cup champions Italy last week.

“There are no fears about my fitness. Friday is the biggest day of my life and while there are a few nerves, I am going to make the most of it,” said the Kaizer Chiefs star injured in a bruising win over Colombia last month.

Although Parreira has dropped no hints about his starting line-up, Khune and Tshabalala are considered certainties when South Africa launch a third World Cup campaign after first round exits in 1998 and eight years later.

The main doubt concerns who fills the defensive role in a probable five-man midfield with Kagisho Dikgacoi from English Premier League side Fulham and Thanduyise Khuboni of Durban-based Golden Arrows the chief contenders.