Coach juggles the odds

BAXTER FORCED TO WORK WITH A DIFFERENT SQUAD

World Cup, Caf Cup of Nations, Chan and Cosafa Cup fixtures.

And now the messy mixture, which apart from anything else creates a hugely excessive number of desired Bafana-capped international players, has reached fresh heights of incredulity for this afternoon’s Chan first-leg qualifier against Botswana.

The case in point relates to Bafana midfieler Lehlogondo Masalela who was initially left out of the squad for the Francistown Stadium fixture because it was thought he was under contract to an overeseas club and this particular event only allows for the inclusion of local-based players.

It was then discovered that this particular contract had been terminated and so Masalela was immediately drafted into the Bafana squad, only for Safa to be made aware that only players linked to a local club can participate in the Chan – resulting in the obviously confused player being deprived of a trip to Francistown for the second time.

But in fairness to the Bafana coach it has to be pointed out that it was forced on him by the singularly complicated and obtuse rules of the Chan competition – which incidentally, like Cosafa, is not recognised by Fifa as an official international tournament – that must make the selection issue something of a nightmare.

World Cup and Cup of Nations matches, whether at the qualifying stage or final format, are, of course, part of the official Fifa competition programme. But with the additional mumbo-jumbo of Chan and Cosafa games to take into account, circumstances make it excruciatingly difficult for any coach to focus on compiling one best line-up.

So, it seems, Bafana players are fast becoming cheaper by the dozen and the line-ups for different tournaments have become increasingly more difficult.

As for today’s Botswana encounter, the comparative depth of talent in the PSL makes Bafana the favourites despite playing the first leg of the two-leg qualifier away from home.

But with the Botswana minnows seeking to avenge the recent 2-0 defeat against Bafana in a game to decide fifth and sixth places in the Cosafa Cup and under the aegis of the motivated former Santos and Black Leopards coach David Bright, anything is possible in the midst of such a mish-mash of choices.