Eleazar in the Bafana mix again
IF Eleazar Rodgers can follow in the footsteps of the three former Bafana Bafana strikers he grew up admiring, then coach Shakes Mashaba could have to worry less about the amount of chances that are wasted in front of goal.
The Bidvest Wits striker grew up watching his Cape Town home boys Mark Williams, Shaun Bartlett and Benni McCarthy closely and also dreamt of playing for Bafana like the retired strikers who scored 69 goals between them for the senior national team.
Mashaba needs strikers as good as the retired trio to have a successful 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign and Rodgers is the latest call-up to try to solve the scoring problems that have beset the senior national team.
The likes of Bongani Ndulula, Prince Nxumalo, Dino Ndlovu, Moeketsi Sekola, Kermit Erasmus, Thobani Mncwango, Ndumiso Mabena and Lehlohonolo Majoro have been called up for qualifying matches, but none of them have been able to hold on to a place in Mashaba s squad.
Tokelo Rantie have been a consistent feature in the team, while Thamsanqa Gabuza s work rate in continental matches has impressed Mashaba, even though he is not a regular at Orlando Pirates.
Rodgers has to make a mark and inspire Bafana to World Cup qualification.
I liked Shaun Bartlett because he also went to Charlton Athletic. It gave us that hope that we can achieve something. He was a big striker. Benni has also been a role model and I watched Mark Williams. I take a lot of things from different players and that s how I learn,” said Rodgers, who has two Bafana caps.
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Even though it s the foreign strikers who are scoring (in the PSL), we do have strikers in South Africa. If I get an opportunity I want to help Bafana Bafana. I want to do well and not make it worse.”
At 31, Rodgers can be forgiven for thinking his chances of playing again for Bafana were gone. He featured twice in the 2008 Cosafa Cup and was recalled by his former club Santos when he got a call-up in 2012.
It s difficult because the older you get, there are good youngsters coming through and some of them have come through the ranks with coach Mashaba,” said Rodgers. I got a call-up in 2012, before I left Santos. But Santos called me back because we were playing in the playoffs at that time. I played in the Cosafa Cup in 2008. At the time it was just locally based players.”
He added: It (the call-up) came as a surprise, but I always thought that I would get another opportunity. People have been encouraging me and telling me it s never too late. I just kept on working hard and I am glad that I have this opportunity.
Bafana begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou on Saturday, hoping that they do not repeat the same mistakes of the Afcon qualifiers.
We have to start well, that s important. It's an away game and we have to perform. The expectations will be high. We want to win and we want to prove we are good,” said Rodgers.