Stuart Baxter names his Bafana Bafana squad to take on Nigeria
Baxter under pressure to call up City’s Manyama
STUART BAXTER will reveal his first Bafana Bafana squad today since being appointed as head coach, and has promised to select “warriors” for the opening 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria in Uyo on 10 June.
The Scotsman wants power and aggression, players who will not shy away from a tackle or be bullied by an improving Super Eagles side. But just who fits this profile in the pool of available players? Will Baxter make surprise call-ups, go for the tried and tested or simply make slight tweaks to teams previously selected by his predecessor Shakes Mashaba?
Here we take a look at all the different departments and what Baxter can work with. Baxter himself has singled out Kaizer Chiefs shot-stopper Itumeleng Khune as an important player in his first official match in charge of the national team. Although injuries have troubled Khune this season, he’s fit enough to be the backbone of what is expected to be an experienced squad to face Nigeria. In the event that Khune, who has made 82 appearances for the national team, is unavailable, which is unlikely, then Darren Keet, a league winner this season with Wits, will be a strong back-up.
Options: Khune, Keet and Ronwen Williams This is where the coach will have to make tough decisions. Under Mashaba, Bafana were often very stingy at the back, with Eric Mathoho being partnered with either Rivaldo Coetzee or Thulani Hlatshwayo. A pairing that could give Baxter what he is looking for is probably that of Mathoho and Hlatshwayo, but then again Clayton Daniels could be an alternative as well, especially seeing that the coach has been working with him at SuperSport United over the past 16 months. He is as aggressive as they come, but his selection would be more about picking horses for courses than continuity. It is in central defence where Baxter might have a hard time deciding who to call-up, with Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Tebogo Langerman having proven to be the best at right-back and left-back, respectively, this season. Pity that Buhle Mkhwanazi, who has been stellar for Wits alongside Hlatshwayo, is injured and will only be available around October.
Options: Mathoho, Hlatshwayo, Daniels, Coetzee, Lorenzo Gordinho, Mphahlele, Langerman Given that Bafana will be on the road, it’s a no-brainer that the squad will need to have fewer ball players and more grafters and fetchers. Mamelodi Sundowns skipper Hlompho Kekana immediately comes to mind, so does Andile Jali, although he is struggling for match fitness, while there is also SuperSport captain Dean Furman, a player Baxter also mentioned as possibly providing the spine of the team when he was talking about Khune and picking “warriors”. Where that leaves runners like Keagan Dolly, Thulani Serero, Themba Zwane and even young Luther Singh will be revealed this morning. The coach gave the impression he wanted to keep it as tight as possible in midfield when facing Nigeria next month. He can’t ignore Kamohelo Mokotjo either, a player still enjoying rave reviews in the Netherlands.
Options: Kekana, Tiyani Mabunda, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Jali, Serero, Zwane, Singh, Furman, Abbubaker Mobara On the evidence of the two friendly matches against Guinea-Bissau (3-1 win) and the goalless draw with Angola in March, this is still very much a problem area for the senior men’s side. Baxter’s predecessors all ALSO INSIDE: Comrades, P29 Soccer, P30 Rugby, P31 promised to solve the conundrum early in their tenures, only to sing a different tune when the going got tough. Baxter wouldn’t have taken the job if he felt he couldn’t win games and qualify for major tournaments with this team, and maybe with Kermit Erasmus back in the picture, this is a start. However, Tokelo Rantie, a man who never gives Nigerian defenders any breathing space, appears to still be in limbo as far as his selection is concerned after he failed to travel with Bafana to Burkina Faso in October last year. His speed and being able to spot pockets of spaces behind the defence would be key. Baxter will also be under pressure to call-up PSL top scorer Lebogang Manyama, despite the Cape Town City forward not necessarily fitting the “warrior” profile due to his lack of experience at this level. But then again Bafana haven’t had a proven goal scorer for sometime, with the exception of Rantie, who might still not be available. What about Thamsanqa Gabuza? He might not be a popular choice at the moment, but he could be the right kind of specimen for this away clash.
Options: Erasmus, Percy Tau, Manyama, Rantie and Gabuza