There was a major surprise when Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba named his 23-man squad on Tuesday afternoon for next month’s African Nations Cup tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Thulani Serero, who many believed would be a key player for Bafana, starting with what has been termed the opening “Group of Death” alongside Algeria, Senegal and Ghana, was one of the 11 players left out of Mashaba’s previous provisional squad of 34 players.
Asked to explain Serero’s omission at the media conference where the Equatorial Guinea-based squad was announced, an evasive Mashaba initially said he would “deal with the Serero issue at the end of the session.”
But when he was pressed further at the tail end of the meeting to clarify Serero’s non-selection, Mashaba brushed the issue aside with the blunt comment “there are better players in the squad”.
Almost to a man, however, those present at a packed gathering believed there were other issues involved as well apart from Serero’s form switching inconsistently from brilliant to somewhat mediocre during Bafana’s Afcon qualifying matches.
The inventive Serero had also been dropped by Gordon Igesund after the previous Bafana coach had suggested he might have been feigning an injury in view of a crucial game pending for his Dutch club.
Ironically, Serero’s form for Ajax Amsterdam has also dipped recently and he has not always been a first-choice player.
Several high profile players like goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, midfielder May Mahlangu and winger Siphiwe Tshabalala were also non-selections, but they had not been named among the original 34 possibles and it was therefore not altogether surprising that they had been left out.
Khune, although reported to now be fit, has been a long-time absentee from soccer because of injury, Mahlangu recently dropped out of a Bafana squad after claiming he was in need of a break from soccer and the mercurial Tshabalala has only recently recaptured his best form after a lengthy period out of soccer because of recurring injuries.
Included in Bafana’s 23, however, is Brilliant Khuzwayo, who took over from Khune in the Kaizer Chiefs’ goal and also came into contention for the national team following the tragic murder of South African captain and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.
Mashaba initially replaced Meyiwa with Dean Furman as the Bafana captain and although the Doncaster Rovers midfielder had appeared to do a good job in this role, Mashaba said no decision had yet been made as to who would be captain in Equatorial Guinea.
In fact, he indicated that he might well rotate the captaincy position because they were trying to build as many captains as possible who were capable of taking charge of the team on the pitch.
In a lengthy and articulate summary of the requirements he had taken into account in selecting his squad, Mashaba stressed “patriotism, dedication and loyalty” as essential ingredients.
He also said he was not sure whether “any coffins had been sent to Equatorial Guinea to cater for the unfortunate teams who missed the boat from the Group of Death.
“But if they have,” he added, “they won’t be for us. We’re going through to the next round.”
Asked what he had told the 11 players who had not been selected from the original 34 possibles, Mashaba said as a former player he understood their extreme disappointment.
“It was not so much what I told them, it was what I told the 23 players who were chosen.
“Positions in the national team are not permanent and need to be earned no matter who you might be.”
Taking this into account, he explained the recall of prolific Chiefs striker Bernard Parker following a lengthy injury.
“There is a shortage of genuine goalscorers everywhere and Parker is one of them.”
Also in this category is in-form Bournemouth player Tokelo Rantie, who has been selected by Mashaba in spite of fears that he might not be available because of an injury.
It was also announced that in addition to the warm-up game against Zambia at Orlando Stadium on Sunday, Bafana would play Cameroon in Gabon before the Afcon tournament and also possibly Gabon as well.
SA SQUAD: Goalkeepers: Darren Keet, Brilliant Khuzwayo, Jackson Mabokgwane
Defenders: Siyabonga Nhlapo, Patrick Phungwayo, Anele Ngcongca, Thulani Hlatswayo, Eric Mathoho, Rivaldo Coetzee, Thabo Matlaba
Midfielders: Themba Zwane, Andile Jali, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Bongani Zungu, Thamsanqa Sangweni, Dean Furman, Thuso Phala, Mandla Masango, Oupa Manyisa
Strikers: Bongani Ndulula, Tokelo Rantie, Bernard Parker, Sibusiso Vilakazi. – Nampa-Sapa
