Gordinho convinced Baxter will blood youth at Bafana
Incoming SA coach handed Chiefs defender his debut
Kaizer Chiefs defender Lorenzo Gordinho is convinced new Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter will give young players a chance to prove themselves in the senior national team.
At both Chiefs and SuperSport United, Baxter has relied mostly on experienced players for success and the challenge for the coach is to give a few young players a chance at national team level, especially with Safa’s Vision 2022 taking shape at junior level.
Gordinho, who was handed his Amakhosi debut by Baxter in 2014, says the fact the likes of Simphiwe Mtsweni, 22, and Denwin Farmer, 20, have played under the coach shows that he is not all about playing experienced players.
Young Teboho Mokoena, 20, has been a star for Matsatsantsa since Baxter gave him a senior team debut earlier this season, justifying his selection by scooping regular man of the match awards.
“It’s good for the country to have him [Baxter]. He has done a lot with us and SuperSport. He understands what he wants as a coach and he understands South African players. He is a coach that picks players based on performance, so if I do well I think he will have a look at me,” said Gordinho.
“Of course he looks at youngsters. He’s got a vision for the football he wants and he knows without younger players, there’s no future for that vision. At Chiefs, there was me, Mtsweni, Philani Cele. Now at SuperSport he’s got Mokoena,
‘‘ He knows without younger players, there’s no future
Modiba, Denwin Farmer and Fagrie Lakay on the bench. It’s not like he is not looking to youngsters. He obviously has to balance between giving the youth a chance and getting results.”
Fifth-placed Chiefs, meanwhile, were defeated 1-0 by Polokwane City at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, a result that could see Amakhosi finishing in fifth place.
Thapelo Tshilo scored for City.