Former Bafana Bafana defender Mark Fish wants to see South Africa's defenders not afraid to play out from the back.
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Fish, who was capped 62 times by his country, was part of the 1996 AFCON winning squad and subsequently went on to play for Lazio, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.
The 38-year-old points out that in modern football a lot more is expected from a team's defenders and he offered some words of advice for the Bafana Bafana back four that are set to do duty in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
"Our players need to be brave enough to face the opposition," he told the Goal website.
"How we carry the ball and the way our defenders will clear the ball, they must be comfortable with it and know where they are passing the ball.
"The days where defenders would just kick the ball anyhow are over. Defenders are now required to think on their toes and be smart enough to make bold decisions.
"A single mistake can cost the team and no player wants to be labelled as the cause of the team's failure."
Fish also wants to see his country-men taking the initiative, and being proactive rather than reactive.
"What we do during the first 20 minutes will determine the outcome of the match. Our defenders will have to be very quick and be able to read the game (better).
"In such tournaments you cannot allow yourselves to be predictable. Therefore the defenders must also adapt as the game changes," said Fish.
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