Nodada not bitter at being overlooked for Bafana spot
Cape Town City’s influential midfielder Thabo Nodada does not feel hard done by not receiving a Bafana Bafana cap yet‚ despite his name being mentioned for national team callups far more regularly than he gets one.
Nodada, 25, feels his one callup was due to his hitting commanding form relatively early in his career‚ then being injured.
He said he felt the call he received‚ without playing‚ from then-coach Stuart Baxter for the back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Seychelles, were just reward as he had started to boss the midfield for City around then.
Nodada was asked if he feels he could have had more call-ups as the Bafana head coaching baton has been passed from
Baxter to incumbent Molefi
Ntseki.
“Not right now. As we speak‚ no‚” he said.
“No‚ I think if you look at my progression to when I really started putting a stamp in the midfield‚ I think you’d take it to midway through [former City coach] Benni McCarthy’s first season [2017/2018].
“That’s when I really was on the mark‚ and really was performing‚ and I then got my chance.
“I didn’t play‚ but the coach at the time acknowledged my efforts and gave me the call-up.
“And then you move from there — the guys went the Nations Cup [in Egypt in June 2019]‚ and I was injured. Had I not got injured I felt like I really had a great shot.
“Because I was coming off the MTN8 win that season‚ and we were up at the top of the league and chasing. And then that injury just flattened things out a bit and made me slow down.
“As for being a Bafana regular right now? I think I need to be called.
“But as for the coach out and out starting me? No‚ I don’t think at this point.
“It doesn’t upset me or get to me at all.”