Bafana chance for third tier players
Withdrawals give Senong headache
Bafana Bafana’s battle to get players from Premier Soccer League clubs has afforded Siphelele Ndlovu, who plays for TS Galaxy in the ABC Motsepe League, an opportunity the latest player from the third tier league to be called up by the national team.
Ndlovu and Kaizer Chiefs defenders Kgotso Moleko‚ Sibusiso Khumalo and Siyabonga Ngezana were called up as replacements for Jomo Cosmos duo Mpho Rasilingwane and Thato Lingwati, Richards Bay’s Sandile Mthethwa and Asavela Mbekile of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Bafana’s morning training session at FNB Stadium yesterday had to be cancelled because only 15 players were available after 10 had withdrawn. The SA Football Association then hurriedly cancelled a press conference scheduled for yesterday morning and moved it to noon.
Bafana travel to Zambia for the second leg of the African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier on Sunday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium (3pm). Before Ndlovu was called to the national team, Bafana coach Thabo Senong had indicated that he would consider players from the third tier.
“If we do not get players in the National First Division (NFD) and the PSL, we have to go down and look in the Motsepe league. There are teams doing well there and there are many promising players that can always be considered. We are still using Chan games as a vehicle to develop promising young players,” said Senong.
“We are now preparing for the second leg but we only have 15 players. We have 10 withdrawals because the Premiership and NFD start this weekend. We have already submitted names [of replacements] to the clubs. We hope that by tomorrow [today] players will report to camp.”