SA’s best up for U20 World Cup

NATIONAL U20 team coach Thabo Senong is confident that he will have no trouble having the players he has selected for the Fifa U20 World Cup released‚ he said at the announcement of his squad yesterday.

Senong named the Bidvest Wits’ duo of Phakamani Mahlambi and Reeve Frosler along with Super- Sport United’s Teboho Mokoena and Grant Margeman of Ajax Cape Town in his 21-man squad for the tournament that runs from May 20 to June 11 in South Korea.

Those four players – all firstteamers at their Premier League clubs – could not travel with Amajita to Netherlands as part of the preparations for the tournament‚ with their clubs arguing they needed them for their Absa Premiership commitments.

Senong faced similar problems in the lead-up to the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Zambia where teams refused to release certain players.

The South African Football Association (Safa) had to intervene‚ brokering a compromise that saw Mahlambi available for certain matches of the Afcon as long as he was available for the World Cup.

“As a technical team‚ all that was required from us was to identify the best 21 in the country‚” Senong said.

“When it comes to the release of players‚ that’s in the hands of our technical director‚ Neil Tovey and the CEO‚ Denis Mumble.”

Amajita will leave for Korea on Wednesday‚ the same day that league-chasing Wits visit their bogey side Free State Stars.

Once Amajita have touched down in Korea‚ they will prpare for a friendly with Costa Rica on Monday, May 15. World Cup fixtures: : v Japan‚ Sunday‚ May 21‚ Suwon World Cup Stadium‚ 5pm (10am SA time)

v Italy Wednesday‚ May 24‚ Suwon World Cup Stadium‚ 8pm (1pm SA time)

v Uruguay‚ Saturday‚ May 27‚ Incheon World Cup Stadium‚ 8pm (1pm SA time) — TMG