Bafana legend Shaun Bartlett says new generation lack tough mindset

“I don’t know what world these people [those running South African football] are living in. We used to be a superpower on this continent. We are no longer a superpower and that’s the reality, everybody thinks they can come here and beat us.

“We don’t command respect any more like before. Sometimes players also need to aspire and have the same ambition.

“We were successful in that era of 1996 to 2002 because 75% to 90% of the players were playing in Europe and in top leagues.

“They were playing in the English Premier League, Serie A [in Italy], France and maybe our players need to have a look and [do] introspection. They need to ask themselves, 'Do I really need to play in South Africa or do I still want to go abroad and maybe come back again?'

“We can’t take the element away that money is always going to be a factor. You can earn a lot of money in the PSL now, but you can earn that same amount in a week in Europe if you are that good.

“We came back with the experience of playing against top players week in and week out and we helped the national team. That is what is missing at this moment.”

In recent years players such as Keagan Dolly and Bongani Zungu have returned, seemingly prematurely, from Europe to play in the PSL. Bartlett said the current generation does not have a strong mindset.

“It is easier to come back and earn big bucks at Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns than go abroad and sacrifice everything that is maybe not agreeing with you. Sometimes it is the different language, different culture, different lifestyle and not everybody is prepared to do that.

“So that is what is comes down to — we don’t have the strong mindset in the players of this generation to succeed at that level.

“When I came back to sign for Chiefs I was 34, not 28 or 30 — now players are coming back at 28 or 30 and not sticking it out in Europe.

“The other way is we need to send younger players to Europe, get them to develop and stay there a bit longer.”

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