The South African Under-23 squad's failure to secure the ticket to the Under-AFCON finals has sunk the team's coach David Notoane into soul-searching.
Notoane's charges were knocked out on the away goals rule after playing out a goalless draw in Congo on Monday throwing into thin air hopes of ultimately reaching the 2024 Paris Olympic Games via the Under-23 AFCON finals to be held in Morocco from June 24-July 8.
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"It is emotionally draining when one looks at the overall circumstances in terms of our campaign and it leaves one with a lot more questions and a lot more soul searching about the process that we are on with regards to this team," says Notoane.
"These are the dreams that we live for as coaches to go to these major tournaments.
"We were so close yet to far and it is unfortunate that most of the time one had to deal with last-minute situations in putting the team together.
"These despite efforts to formulate a long-term plan strategy that would give the team a chance of good preparations to build a good team so that when we come into the qualifiers for these tournaments, we are better prepared.
"For the players, the motivation that they can take is that this is a bridging programme and gives us a measure of their readiness and the experience of competing at this level for the future of their careers in Bafana Bafana which is the ultimate opportunity," says Notoane.
The South African had to endure difficult conditions in Congo after being able to keep it tight at the back needed a single goal to wrap up the contest.
"Very disappointed on a personal level because I think the game was within our grasp.
"We had planned to make sure that defensively we are tight which we did as we didn't concede which was good.
"We missed some very good chances with (Boitumelo) Radiopane having two one-v-ones and then in the end Mduduzi Shabalala had a breakthrough on transition play
"Disappointed yes but I think the boys put in a gallant fight under very difficult conditions," he says.
Notoane and his team will touch down at the OR Tambo Airport tomorrow morning (03h55) om Ethiopian Airlines.
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