Disari Ellis presents Banyana Banyana roadmap for FIFA World Cup

Banyana Banyana coach Disari Ellis shared the team's development plans ahead of the FIFA World Cup, emphasizing the need for additional preparation time.

Following the victory over Nigeria, which allowed Banyana Banyana to advance to the continental playoff for the World Cup, Ellis expressed satisfaction. This win helped restore confidence in both her coaching abilities and the team's strength after a disappointing performance at the Wafcon tournament, where the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals and failed to qualify directly for the global tournament.

Some speculated that the team should play the first round of the two playoff stages, scheduled for November and February, as early as next week to maintain momentum. However, Ellis explained why the coming months would be beneficial for preparation, despite being familiar with the remaining stages but requiring a more detailed understanding of the format.

Ellis stated: 'I think the playoffs at this time are not accidental. A long and difficult time has passed; everyone is exhausted. So it would be good to gather again. We also have qualifying matches in October, and the league will resume.'

She added that the next two months would help with planning and preparation, as it is not just about the match in October. The team will play against Madagascar in the Olympic qualifiers, so strengthening the squad and working on certain aspects is necessary. Ellis expressed hope that there would be enough time to work on weaknesses, as, according to her, the team improved its defensive play and ball possession during the tournament, but 'the third third of the field needs some refinement. Sometimes we made wrong decisions.'

One player expected to be used to improve skills is Ronnel Donnelly. The 22-year-old player returned to play after a long injury, having played only two matches for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies in the HWSL. Because of this, she was often criticized for instability. Nevertheless, Ellis supported her drive to find her rhythm, especially after showing signs of improvement during the tournament by playing a key role in the opening match against Super Falcons.

Ellis noted that the player can develop further, stressing that she is a 'fantastic person,' and sometimes needs to calm down. She added that given the player's youth, she needs to learn and listen. Since the player's club is now participating in the CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers, more playing time and patience after injury will help her become better.

The South African athletes, representing the continent alongside Ghana, will compete against Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, and Papua New Guinea for two spots in the final stage later this year. Success at this stage will allow them to join other nations in the final round, where they will fight for three World Cup qualification spots against two CONCACAF teams, one UEFA team, and Venezuela.

Ellis reiterated why they need sufficient time to prepare for the playoffs and other important matches or tournaments. She pointed out that their late arrival at the camp, lack of joint training sessions, and more time spent traveling than at the camp led to the disappointing performance at Wafcon. 'We need more time. You can only work with a group of players and achieve results from them if you have more time,' said Ellis. 'If we plan better in the future, we will be better. It will require everything from us. We must ensure we are ready. It is a difficult and long journey. We just achieved advancement to the next stage, so we need to plan carefully. If we do not plan everything properly, considering the February final, in the off-season, we must be at the peak of our preparation.'