Coetzee must be taken to Senegal with U23s
... but first Ajax have a date with improving SuperSport in Athlone
SOUTH African national Under23 coach Owen da Gama names his squad for the all-important Rio 2016 Olympics-qualifying Eight Nations tournament in Senegal today and Ajax Cape Town’s Abbubaker Mobara will most certainly be included.
The event in Senegal, which runs from November 28 to December 12, is of such significance that the PSL will take a minibreak for the duration of the action. This allows Da Gama access to pick the strongest squad possible as even those playing in the PSL will be available. The top three U23 countries in Senegal will qualify for next year’s Olympics in Brazil.
Mobara and Ajax teammate Riyaad Norodien are definite inclusions, as they have been regulars in the U23 set-up this year, while the possibility exists that one or two more Urban Warriors players could make the cut. In fact, Ajax coach Roger de Sa even suggested that Da Gama pick Ajax’s Bafana Bafana central defender Rivaldo Coetzee.
Coetzee, just 19, has already played 15 games for Bafana. De Sa says Da Gama should select “his strongest squad”. And if he does that, then surely Coetzee should go to Senegal. While Mobara is looking forward to the Eight Nations event, he is just as focused on Saturday’s challenge when Ajax host SuperSport United in a PSL fixture at Athlone Stadium (kick-off 8.15pm).
“SuperSport haven’t started well this season but it looks like things are turning around for them,” said the 20-year-old. “They’ve had a few good results and improved performances.
“For us, we come off a defeat to Orlando Pirates and we need to get back to where we were earlier in the season. I think it’s important that we prepare well and play our normal game… if we do that, then we should be able to go out there and get the three points on Saturday.”
While Mobara is being used in central defence by Ajax alongside Coetzee, in the U23 team he is being deployed as a holding midfielder. He has no problem with the positional change, though, as he also played in this role for the Urban Warriors two seasons ago.
“It doesn’t make much of a difference to me,” he said. “I’m accustomed to both positions… it’s just a slight adjustment, in that you have to cover a bit more ground when playing in central midfield.”
But with Mobara being a superb, natural athlete, the extra running certainly has no effect on the overall effectiveness of his game. As for the tournament in Senegal later this month, Mobara is confident Amaglugglug can qualify for Rio.
“It’s a real exciting time for us as U23s,” he said. “Last week, we were in camp for the event and it was great preparation. I think the U23s have lots of quality players and I’m confident we can go there and do the job of qualifying for the Olympics.
“The most important thing will be the
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19
2015 mental aspect. We will have to be strong in our minds, especially with the travel and different conditions. But if we play to our potential, then we can do the business.”