"I am fully aware that the national team needs urgent attention and we are dealing with the situation. We have a meeting already scheduled in early February where the team name, staff and technical sponsorship will be addressed. Big changes are underway at SAFA, not just at the national team level but at grassroots. If we want to build a winning team for the future we have to have efficient structures in place right from school level."
Jordaan said he understands the criticism that the team and SAFA are receiving over the loss to Nigeria but added that fans should remember that many of our top players were not allowed to take part in the tournament. "CHAN rules restrict the competition to home-based players and some teams refused to release the players who might have made a difference to the result. This is not an excuse; it is the reality of the situation. We could not field our best team because of restrictions."
Since Jordaan took over he has begun a sweeping review of all SAFA management. "Things will change and sooner rather than later. We are going to create a new era where South Africa takes its rightful place as a top African football nation and one that is respected in world football. This is the task I have undertaken and I will not rest until we can hold our heads up in pride."
Jordaan also paid tribute to the Bafana Bafana team that played in CHAN. "It is easy to criticise when things go wrong but our team was made up of hard-working and talented individuals who deserve encouragement, not insults," he said. "True football fans know that you stick with your team through thick and thin and that's what I urge South Africans to do. This loss was a bump in the road, not the end of the road."
