Baxter spoilt for choice in midfield: ‘It’s a nice headache to have ...’
PRAIA, CAPE VERDE: By his own admission, finding the perfect central midfield pairing is the toughest headache for Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter ahead of Friday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier here against Cape Verde at the ‘Blue Shark Arena’, the National Stadium.
Even his counterparts in the Premier Soccer League have argued the national team has got no issues in that department, where Dean Furman, Bongani Zungu, Andile Jali, Hlompho Kekana and Kamohelo Mokotjo are all competing for spots.
It was a whole lot easier for Baxter in his first official Bafana match – an away over Nigeria in June – given the absence of both Kekana of Sundowns and Kamohelo Mokotjo, who had just moved from Holland’s FC Twente to join Brentford in England.
“It’s a nice headache to have,” Baxter said yesterday.
“And I don’t want to really start from scratch to be honest by building a fresh new combination. Without revealing any massive secrets, I think it would be crazy of me just after five days with this team to throw away what we did in Nigeria, where Furman and Zungu put up a solid performance.
“We have two games, one in Durban as well, where I can reform the midfield if I want to and we want to have a bigger push offensively – like going for a three-man midfield. But I think in this one it would be strange and silly of me to start fannying around with it.”
Kekana and Mokotjo are back in contention this week – both players looking as sharp as their teammates in training.
“What I can say is that we really have a good bench, and we have some decent players returning. I must say Andile Jali is also looking in much better shape, so he also comes into the picture more seriously now,” Baxter added.
“This is the toughest department to make a decision on in the Bafana team.
“It is going to be up to me going forward to get as many of our good players out on the field as often as possible.
“And sometimes you would think we should have a threeman centre midfield, or play with a diamond with a Lebo (Manyama) or Sibusiso Vilakazi in front of them.
“That way you get a few more attack-minded players on the pitch. We did a lot of good work in Nigeria and I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. We will probably stick with the same central midfield.”
Another tough choice Baxter might have to make involves striker Tokelo Rantie.
The Turkish-based player had not arrived by yesterday morning when the coach took his players through their paces, having apparently missed his flight to Cape Verde.
Seven overseas-based players were expected to meet the rest of the team in Praia instead of flying to South Africa and then enduring a 12-hour flight here.
All but Rantie made the trip and settled.
“I will listen to him when he gives his excuse and we will decide what we will do about that. But the squad is together now and the lads have shown an appetite despite the hot conditions,” the coach explained.