Youth to be given a run
WE PROMISED THEM THAT AND THAT’S WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN Itumeleng Khune takes the youngsters under his wing.
Owen da Gama has vowed to give his younger players a chance as Bafana Bafana face Guinea-Bissau and Angola in two friendly internationals in the next four days.
The Bafana caretaker coach was widely commended for including the likes of Lorenzo Gordinho, Phakamani Mahlambi, Luther Singh and Percy Tau in his squad for these matches, and it will be interesting to see just how much game time four of South Africa’s more promising talents get in Durban today and in East London on Tuesday.
“There is no doubt the youngsters will get a run, we have promised them that and that is what is going to happen,” said Da Gama this week.
One man who has had to take responsibility for making the younger players feel at home in the Bafana camp is the country’s No 1 goalkeeper and captain Itumeleng Khune, who could well earn his 83rd cap for his country this afternoon.
“We have told them (the younger players) to relax and feel at home … a lot of great players have been left behind and for them to be here shows how good they are, most are in the form of their lives … they are showing it on the training field and now they have to be tested in matches,” said Khune, who also noted the leadership qualities of his three Bafana vice-captains this week.
“Dean Furman is captain at SuperSport, Hlompho Kekana is captain at Sundowns and Tyson (Hlatshwayo) is captain of Wits… it shows how much the coach believes in our leadership and we are working very hard to make sure we bring the players together to take Bafana to greater heights.”
These matches also give all the players in the squad a chance to audition for the new national team head coach, who is finally expected to be announced next week.
It remains to be seen if FC Twente midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo will play, though the Department of Home Affairs said they hoped to have his re-application for South African citizenship finalised by close of business yesterday.
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