A wonder called Fish

May has been a merry month for young South African defender Mark Fish with wife Loui giving birth to their first child and his inclusion in an all-time African squad. Only 24, Fish has been capped 37 times, featured in two African Nations Cup finals, one African Champions Cup decider, represented Africa and the World, and performed at the highest level in Italy and England. The only dark sport on the horizon was the relegation last weekend of Bolton Wanderers because Fish knows playing English First Division football cannot enhance his international career. Known as "Feeeesh" by his multiracial army of fans, the former striker helped unfashionable Jomo Cosmos reach the 1993 African Cup-winners Cup semi-finals before moving to more glamourous Orlando Pirates. In 1995, the Buccaneers ended a 12-year North African monopoly of the leading club championship by defeating ASEC before 50,000 fanatical Ivory Coast supporters. Fish rates that achievement even higher than the 1996 African Nations Cup triumph that set the defender with an eye for adventure on the road to international success. He joined Italian club Lazio and made infrequent first-team appearances before moving last year to Bolton, where the South African scored several goals but could not keep them in the Premiership. "Reaching the African Nations Cup final despite nightmarish preparations was a magnificent achievement and augurs well for our chances in France," he says.