‘I had to choose 23 players’
BAFANA Bafana coach Hugo Broos raised eyebrows at yesterday’s press conference after overlooking defender Njabulo Ngcobo in his 23-man squad for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Ghana next month.
The highly-rated Kaizer Chiefs fullback, who already boasts four Bafana caps, won last season’s PSL Defender of the Season award.
After Ngcobo was named in the preliminary 31-man squad last week, his inclusion seemed a foregone conclusion.
However, there is something about the 27-year-old Ngcobo’s style that failed to impress Broos. He cautioned, though, that Ngcobo might get a look-in next time around.
“It is not to say he won’t be there the next time, but I have to choose 23 players,” said Broos. “I had 31 players, and I had to choose.
“You have to make a choice, and
sometimes it is a tactical choice. Sometimes it is a choice because you need a certain type of defender, and that’s what happened with Ngcobo.
“I know he’s a good defender, and he will get a chance next time.
“Maybe there will be other players who are also disappointed, but this is my first (national team selection).
“Maybe after the Ghana match, I will say to myself, ‘Maybe this and this one, I shouldn’t have selected’.”
Broos said the selections were partly influenced by what he saw (from TV broadcasts) at the recent Cosafa Cup tournament. Bafana won the tournament last month.
Ngcobo was one of the stand-out players at the Cosafa Cup and scored a goal in the semi-final against Mozambique at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Strangely, AmaZulu’s Siyethemba Sithebe, who was the star at the Cosafa Cup and picked up the man-of-thematch award in the final, did not win Broos’ vote either.
He also bagged the Player of the Tournament award.
Like Ngcobo, he too was named in the preliminary 31-man squad last week.
Bafana play neighbours Zimbabwe in Harare next Friday in the first qualifier. Three days later, they face Ghana at FNB Stadium on 6 September.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe have named their squad for the clash against South Africa.
All the players are drawn from leagues outside Zimbabwe. These include striker Khama Billiat (Kaizer
Chiefs), central defensive midfielder Marvellous Nakamba (Aston Villa), right back Tendayi Darikwa (Wigan Athletic) and left back Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth).
Bafana Bafana Squad
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United), Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs) Defenders: Sydney Mobbie, Rushine de Reuck, Thapelo Morena (all Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyanda Xulu (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel), Thibang Phete (Belenenses, Portugal), Thabani Dube, Sibusiso Mabiliso (both Kaizer Chiefs)
Midfielders: Sipho Mbule, Teboho Mokoena (both Supersport United), Mothobi Mvala (Mamelodi Sundowns), Yusuf Maart (Sekhukhune), Ethan Brooks (TS Galaxy), Njabulo Blom (Kaizer Chiefs) Strikers: Thabiso Kutumela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Maritzburg United), Gift Links (Aarhus GF, Denmark), Evidence Makgopa (Baroka FC), Victor Letsoalo (Royal AM FC), Percy Tau (Brighton & Hove Albion, England), Luther Singh (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)