Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune
(Kaizer Chiefs), Darren Keet (K.V. Kortrijk, Belgium)
Defenders: Anele Ngcongca
(Racing Club Genk, Belgium), Siyabonga Sangweni (Orlando Pirates), Bongani
Khumalo (PAOK, Greece) – captain, Bevan Fransman (SuperSport United), Ricardo
Nunes (MSK Zilina, Slovakia), Punch Masenamela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabo
Nthethe (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Midfielders: Dean Furman (Oldham
Athletic, England), Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows), Reneilwe Letsholonyane
(Kaizer Chiefs), Lerato Chabangu (Moroka Swallows), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal
Palace, England), Teko Modise (Mamelodi Sundowns), Oupa Manyisa (Orlando
Pirates), Thuso Phala (Platinum Stars), Sifiso Myeni (Orlando Pirates), Siphiwe
Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs), Delron Buckley (Maritzburg United)
Strikers: Bernard Parker
(Kaizer Chiefs), Katlego Mashego (Moroka Swallows), Tokelo Rantie (Malmo FF,
Sweden)
Here is my
verdict about the Bafana Bafana squad to face Zambia in the Nelson Mandela
Challenge on the 14 of November 2012.
Goalkeeper Department – The goalkeeper
department is very robust. The two of the current best keepers are selected.
Dareen Keet has been doing well for Kortrijk in Belgium and deserves a spot in
the team. Itumeleng Khune has saved Bafana Bafana from humiliation against
Brazil and Poland. He is incontestable best keeper in South Africa. The axe on
Moneeb Josephs and Wayne Sandilands is justifiable. The two keepers have
demonstrated an erratic performance in the PSL as they always blow hot and
cold. They are good but not currently good enough to compete with Dareen Keet
and Itumeleng Khune.
Defence – The defence is
very strong and the only notable missing key player is Mulomowandau “Tower”
Mathoho and I guess is because of the injury but not dipped of form. Tower has
been doing well at the heart of Chiefs defence which justified the less number
of goals that Kaizer Chiefs conceded. Chiefs have the best defensive record
with only 4 goals conceded in 8 games. Thumb up to Gordon for selecting
reasonable defence but Bongani Khumalo is the weakest link. He is playing well
for PAOK in Greece but already failed to justify his selection in the previous
Bafana games as he cracked easily.
Midfielders – Gordon Igesund once
again fail to balance the Middlefield equation. We have too many anchormen
(Oupa Manyisa, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Dean Furman,
Thanduyise Khuboni). Gordon is slowly but surely introducing defensive central
midfielders which closes a space for a creative player in the team. The team is
fairly balance at the wings despite that Sifiso Myeni and Siphiwe Tshabalala”s
forms are going down. The two are suffering from complacency at Orlando Pirates
and Chiefs respectively. They all lost hunger to achieve more with the teams.
The creative Bloemfontein Celtic midfielder Ruzaigh Gamildien should have
replaced ineffective Myeni and Bennett Chenene replacing out of form
Tshabalalala.
The Strike Force – The coach selected
players who are currently in good form banging avalanches of goals in their
respective teams. However, Ayanda Patosi of Lokeren in Belgium has been
overlooked despite scoring goals week and week out. I’m happy for Thuso Phala;
he has been doing well for Platinum Stars.
Dino Ndlovu was given a chance but blown it away as he played badly in
all the Bafana games. He is a hit in Israel but failed to translate his
goal-scoring form into Bafana. The only thing the team is missing upfront is
the intensity tempo of Ndumiso Mabena
who can easily tear defence into pieces with his non-stop blistering runs to
create a goal-scoring opportunities to strikers. We need someone like Mabena to drain the
defence energy by running them in a cycle.
His style of play is similar to Helman Mkhelele but unfortunate Bafana
doesn’t have such kind of player in the current team.
All
the players that I deemed surplus to requirements in the national team such as
Luvhengo Mungomeni, Katlego Mashego, Dino Ndlovu and even George Lebese were
axed from the team. Mungomeni, Ndlovu and Lebese were hopeless in the previous
games. They were given a chance but blown it away
I
give Gordon Igesund 8 out of 10.
By Owen Mundalamo
