South Africa have remained unchanged at number 60 in the latest Fifa World Rankings‚ which were released on the same day they fired coach Shakes Mashaba.
Bafana Bafana were at position number 69 when Mashaba took over in September 2014 and so showed a slight improvement in his two-year tenure‚ but nowhere near the stated aim of the South African Football Association (Safa) to be regularly in the world’s top 20 and the top three of Africa.
Mashaba was axed after being found guilty of gross misconduct‚ gross insubordination and a violation of the Safa’s communications policy after a public outburst aimed at the association’s president‚ Danny Jordaan‚ and guests directly after the 2-1 victory over Senegal on November 12.
- Shakes Mashaba fired as Bafana Bafana coach The South African Football Association (Safa) have confirmed that Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba has been dismissed.
South Africa currently share 60th position with Mali as both have 569 rankings points‚ and they are also joint 11th on the list of African teams.
Senegal remain the top-ranked African side‚ followed by Ivory Coast‚ Tunisia‚ Egypt and Algeria.
Democratic Republic of the Congo‚ Burkina Faso‚ Nigeria‚ Ghana and Morocco round out the top 10.
- How Shakes Mashaba’s mouth often put him on shaky groundBafana Bafana coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba’s public rant against his South African Football Association (Safa) bosses after his side’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory against Senegal at Peter Mokaba Stadium has cost him his job.
The Cape Verde Islands‚ who South Africa play in home and away World Cup qualifiers in late August and early September‚ have not moved from their 80th position on the world list.
It has been a spectacular fall for the side who were briefly ranked the top team in Africa in March this year.
There was no change in the top five in the global list as Argentina finish the year in top spot‚ followed by Brazil‚ Germany‚ Chile and Belgium.
– TMG Sport
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