Shabba targets 100 Bafana caps

Siphiwe Tshabalala became one of the icons of the 2010 Fifa World Cup after scoring the opening goal of the tournament – a cracker against Mexico at Soccer City.
An overseas move away from Kaizer Chiefs has not materialised since then, but the winger tells SuperSport.com that he is content with his career as it is, and says South Africa will be at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Has your life changed in a very big way because of the fame you achieved by scoring the first goal at last year’s World Cup?
Yes, life has been great one year after the World Cup and my life has changed. People respect me know because of the way I play in the World Cup and most importantly the goal that I scored. So it’s been great and I’m enjoying it.
Would you say it was the single most important moment of your career?
Yes definitely it was the highlight of my career, playing in the World Cup and scoring the first goal.
I presume then having your goal nominated as one of the best of 2010 was an added bonus as you went to the Fifa Gala in Zurich?
That was huge; for a player to be nominated at the highest level and being under the same roof with the world’s stars, made me very, very happy. Just to be there and be part of that set-up was a thrill.
Are you happy with the way things have turned out for you and your career in the year and a few months since?
Yes, I’m happy although I was hoping that I was going to get a transfer overseas but besides that everything has been going well for me and I’m very happy.
How much longer do you think your national team career is going to last?
I still have to help the national team qualify for the World Cup in 2014 and hopefully we are going to do that and that will be my last World Cup, I think.
What do you this the potential of the current Bafana Bafana side is, especially given the side is one year wiser after the great experience of playing in the World Cup?
We’ve been playing together for quiet sometime now so we know each other now. I think we are definitely going to advance to the next round now.
Maybe even a bit further at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil?
Yes, the objective will be to get past the first round first and then anything is possible after that…
On a personal level, what would you still like to achieve?
I would like to reach 100 caps for South Africa and play overseas.
So a transfer overseas is still on your agenda?
Yes.
Do you believe South Africa will qualify in the next weeks for the 2012 African Nations Cup finals?
Yes, our last game is at home, it is a must win and we are going to win the game and I don’t think those guys (Niger) will beat Egypt in Egypt.
It will be your third Nations Cup finals then. Will that be a big advantage to have that kind of experience behind you already?
Yes, it’s a big advantage. The Nations Cup is the top, top level when it comes to African football, so having been there twice has given me an appetite for a third time next year and hopefully I’ll help my team with my experience.
Should Bafana qualify what would the team’s chances be in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon?
Right now what we need to do is to qualify first and then the rest will follow. So once we qualify I think we are definitely going to do well at the Nations Cup. I think it’s much tougher to qualify than when you are at the tournament itself.