Polokwane – Shakes Mashaba reacted somewhat nonchalantly, surprised even, at Claude Le Roy’s accusation that he made an obscene gesture at the Frenchman on Wednesday night.
Deep in the bowels of Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Mashaba first appeared shocked and then looked to laugh it off as members of the media relayed to him what his Congo-Brazzaville counterpart had just said earlier on.
His side having earned a point from the goalless Group A, Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Bafana Bafana, Frenchman Le Roy claimed at the post-match conference that the South African coach was unsporting towards him after the final whistle.
“I’m shocked by the behaviour of the head coach of Bafana Bafana. At the end of the game, he showed me with his hand something that I can’t show you in front of the ladies here,” Le Roy claimed. “We have a photo from one of our photographers. I think Fifa and CAF will receive this photo because from an educator (coach) you cannot accept that in terms of behaviour.”
But Mashaba pleaded ignorance about behaving in an unbecoming manner towards Le Roy who, on Tuesday, accused the South African of lacking humility – an accusation he repeated at the post-match conference.
“Unfortunately I can’t comment, if I knew what is ‘something’ then I’ll comment,” Mashaba responded when asked about the incident. “I don’t know what I did. I would have loved him to have said (what the offensive gesture was), so that I could comment. I know nothing about that. Let him come with the pictures and let’s see what he’s talking about.”
Interestingly, Mashaba had actually gone to Le Roy at the beginning of the match and the two shook hands with no sign of animosity between them.
Perhaps Mashaba was unaware of Le Roy’s comments about him the previous day when the Frenchman lamented what the South African had said of his team after last Saturday’s match in Pointe Noire which Bafana won 2-0.
The man who previously coached the likes of Senegal, Cameroon and the DRC, felt that Mashaba’s statements about the Red Devils’ goalkeeper Chancel Massa being their weak link were out of turn and called on his adversary to learn to exercise some humility while describing him as being new to the international scene.
Still, the two coaches exchanged pre-match pleasantries after Mashaba made the short walk from his technical area to shake Le Roy’s hand.
“I gave him an expensive South African pennant before the match but I never got close to him at the end,” Mashaba said at the post-match conference.
But Le Roy was adamant the coach had been rude to him.
“It’s the first time. Some people saw that. I couldn’t believe it was possible at our level, at international level,” Le Roy added. “It’s unbelievable. I saw that in a country where I was so proud to be here today. I was in charge of the world team for the 89th birthday of President (Nelson) Mandela in Cape Town and it was one of the biggest moments in my career.
“But now I go to somebody to congratulate him and I see that. I cannot call him a coach because he does not deserve this nomination.”
Despite his anger at Mashaba, Le Roy was pleased having taken a point away from Polokwane.
“After we missed to win the crucial game in Pointe Noire, this draw is good. Our position is now a little easier.”