Shakes: We need heart and brains
POLOKWANE: Ahead of one of the biggest matches of his Bafana Bafana tenure, Shakes Mashaba expressed concern at the withdrawals of Dean Furman and Tebogo Langerman due to injury and spent the better part of yesterday scrambling for replacements.
Tiyani Mabunda was quickly roped in for Furman in midfield, but finding a suitable left-back in Langerman’s absence proved a frustrating task.
Meanwhile, further down the road, Senegal – Group D leaders on this road to Russia 2018 – were preparing to maintain their winning record at the Peter Mokaba Stadium tomorrow (3pm kickoff).
The Lions of Teranga beat Cape Verde 2-0 in Dakar last month, while Bafana were held to a 1-1 draw by Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou.
“If you look at the players we have lost, they are our key players and we will miss them, but we are going to have subs that we hope will come to the party,” Mashaba said.
“It is a blow to us as a technical team and the rest of the squad, but these are things we have no control over.
“What can we do? All we have to do is hope they quickly fit into our plans.”
Mashaba has been under immense pressure and the stench from missing out on next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon just wont go away, making every World Cup qualifier a must-win.
The draw away to the Burkinabe is credible on paper, but Mashaba is being closely watched by his bosses at Safa, who have not minced their words about wanting to see Bafana qualify for the global showpiece.
He has displayed the right kind of mental attitude for a crunch game against Senegal, even politely scolding captain Thulani Hlatshwayo and winger Daine Klate for sounding too timid in a press conference on Wednesday.
And despite having a few harsh words for the media, the Bafana coach was bullish as he talked up his side’s chances against the Senegalese, who are tipped as favourites to top Group D and qualify for the
If you look at the players we have lost, they are our key players and we will miss them, but we are going to have subs that we hope will come to the party,” Mashaba said.
World Cup as outright winners.
“Let us stop playing second fiddle to other people,” said Mashaba, hitting back at suggestions that Senegal – led by Liverpool talisman Sadio Mane – would run riot against Bafana tomorrow afternoon.
“We need to be able to play with heart and use the brains as well. We conceded late against Burkina Faso and against Senegal in the 2015 Afcon (group stage match) because we started with fire but could not maintain that when it was tougher and was necessary.
“That is what we need to start teaching our players, that when it starts to pain, you need to show grit. Use the mind and complement with the heart.”
Although not confirmed by Mashaba or the media department at the time of going to print, it is believed that the coach had settled on Maritzburg United winger Deolin Mekoa as a replacement at leftback.
Mekoa played in that position at Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro for the Under-23 team, coached by Bafana assistant coach Owen da Gama.