Logistical problem for Tembo’s U-23s
Kaitano Tembo says SuperSport United are still talking to the South African Football Association and trying to find a solution regarding Teboho Mokoena and Sipho Mbule’s availability for next month’s Tokyo 2020 qualifying competition in Egypt.
The top three sides at November’s Caf Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations will qualify for the Olympic games next year, but the problem comes in the fact that only part of the tournament falls within the official Fifa calendar.
Fifa’s international week runs from November 11-19, but the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations will take place from November 8 to 22.
Coach David Notoane will want to gather his troops at least a few days before the tournament starts, but SuperSport have a potential Telkom Knockout quarterfinal on the weekend of November 1-3, if they can get past Baroka FC in the last-16 tomorrow.
Matsatsantsa then face a home league game against Golden Arrows on November 5, and are at Bidvest Wits on November 8, a day before South Africa kick off in Egypt. If they go deep into the tournament, meanwhile, it will be a race against time for SuperSport’s players to get back in time for a potential TKO semifinal.
“I think we are talking behind the scenes … the tournament falls in and out of the Fifa calendar. We need to try and reach a compromise … we need to find a solution and it should be a winwin for both sides. We have important games during that time, and those players (Mokoena and Mbule) are key for us, they are our main players,” said Tembo.
With Mbule and Mokoena away with the Under-23s last week, and Dean Furman, Bradley Grobler and Ronwen Williams with Bafana, meanwhile, Tembo has only had a couple of days to prepare his full team for the game against Bakgaga.
“We are playing a very good team in Baroka. They won the tournament last season, so it is not going to be an easy game. Cup games are always unpredictable and we are preparing ourselves for a very tough encounter,” said Tembo.