Bafana Bafana coach, Pitso Mosimane has picked his 24-man squad for the Burkina…er, Kenya game to be played next week at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium and has caused quite a commotion with some of his selections.
Let’s start with the good - Tlou Segolela
His goal against Free State Stars was brilliant but those with a long memory will remember him similarly outrunning the SuperSport United defence while playing for Bloemfontein Celtic and scoring a beauty of a goal. It’s well known in South Africa that a winger that can score goals is as rare as SAFA’s ability to do anything right, so he’s a welcome addition to the squad.
Thulani Serero
His age, pace, ability to run at players and a handful of other attributes has got me as excited as Julius Malema is about sushi parties. He also has an eye for goal and I think the less pressurised atmosphere of the Kenya game would make an ideal intro into the Bafana scoring charts.
Daylon Claasen
Though not really setting the Belgian league on fire, has been getting a good amount of game time and like Serero is young, fast and strong.
And then there were some pretty puzzling selections (note I don’t use the word BAD).
Kagisho Dikgacoi
He might as well have been at ZAR’s launch, having sushi eaten off his body – such has been his inactivity at Fulham. Pitso argued, without mentioning names that some senior players were chosen to just hang around and teach the youngsters the ropes. Right…
Then last but not least it’s…no, not Aaron Mokoena, but Rueben Cloete. Personally, the guy has been average in the left-back position and does as much attacking as a nerd to the school bully, but it’s perhaps down to a lack of depth that he was chosen. Only Pitso knows what’s going on here.
When all is said and done I’ll be in my off-yellow Bafana Bafana shirt, sipping a beer and singing “Hakuna matata”, while watching Bafana thrash the Harambee Stars. Ken-ya dig it?
Bafana Bafana Squad:
GOALKEEPERS: Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs.
DEFENDERS: Siyabonga Sangweni, Bongani Khumalo, Morgan Gould, Aaron Mokoena, Siboniso Gaxa, Anele Ngcongca, Siyanda Xulu, Mzuvukile Tom, Ruben Cloete.
MIDFIELDERS: Steven Pienaar, Andile Jali, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Daylon Claasen, Thanduyise Khuboni, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Matty Pattison, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Tlou Segolela.
STRIKERS: Davide Somma, Kermit Erasmus, Bernard Parker, Thulani Serero.
By Balekane Mokoditoa
