Coach Joel Santana has named his final 23 man squad to play in the Confederations Cup in less than two weeks from now. This final Bafana team will play against Poland on Saturday in it’s final preparation match before the tournament.
I guess one talking point will be the axing of Nasief Morris and the inclusion of Brain Baloyi in the final squad. But maybe now is not the time to start complaining but stand behind the team that’s been selected to represent us.
Here’s the squad:
Goalkeepers: Brian Baloyi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Rowen Fernandez (Armenia Bielefeld, Germany)
Defenders: Matthew Booth (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Morgan Gould (SuperSport United), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth, England), Bryce Moon (Panithinikos, Greece), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United)
Midfielders: Lance Davids (SuperSport United), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Golden Arrows), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Steven Pienaar (Everton, England), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs), Benson Mhlongo (Orlando Pirates), Elrio van Heerden (Blackburn Rovers, England), Innocent Mdledle (Orlando Pirates)
Strikers: Bernard Parker (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thembinkosi Fanteni (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Katlego Mashego (Orlando Pirates)
All the best and congratulations to everyone who’s made the final cut.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
He already messed up when he announced the initial 30 man squad so I won’t go into what’s wrong with this final squad. You have to wonder though why a defender who made the most appearances in the 2008/09 La Liga season has been left out. It’s baffling.
Anyways I will support the boys as I always do.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Yeah Ash, personally I have a lot to say about Santana as a coach, but I prefer to reserve my comments for now and see how it all pans out you know?
But i’m really disappointed
June 4th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Yeah man. Let’s see how things turn out, but he’s clearly not the brightest crayon in the box if you know what I mean
June 4th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
@Ash,
I definitely know what you mean man
June 4th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
The only wordclass player in that squad is Steven Pienaar. Mokoena left Blackburn because he hardly got a game. Bryce Moon has gone silent after a few good games in the 2008 UEFA Champions League, and Elrio van Heerden hardly plays. Of the local players perhaps Teko Modise is rated. It’s going to be a difficult Confederations Cup…
June 4th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Baloyi, Mdledle, Booth, Mphela…we’ve a serious clown as a national team coach..what is he smoking together with his assistant Pitso? We shall never smell any victory…I rest my case!
June 4th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Fuck you santana and your fucking zulu knowledge of football where is henyekane ur bastard maybe they translate that shit in brazilian language
June 4th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
@Sean,
Amen! Elrio is a great player but he’s very injury prone, he’s always been on and off and I’m hoping he will stay away from injuries in his time at Blackburn cause you know how it is in the EPL – alas it is going to be a very hard Confed cup indeed, theres no real firepower upfront and I can bet you my last cent Pienaar will be played on the right where he barely play for Everton, but our coach Santana and company know it all
June 4th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
@Muzi
It doesn’t really worry him if we under perform or not, as long as he gets his fat cheque at the end of the month, he’s okay and the guys at SAFA are also too thick headed to realize we are not going forward here
June 4th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
@Thabang,
LOL, calm down dude, what do you mean Zulu knowledge of football? otherwise Santana has messed up big time, I don’t know what difference we’ll see from this team
June 4th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
@Calvin,
Agreed on Elrio. If he plays regularly. Good. The English League is tough. I always wonder if our players should rather go to leagues like Portugal and Spain where skill is valued more.
June 4th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
@Sean,
Definitely, our players are more suited for Portugal and Spain, but I think what Steven Pienaar has done at Everton really proves that with hard work they could become dynamic in the English game, I mean it took Ronaldo a season or so to adapt and become what he is now, a skillful and dynamic player…
June 5th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Im not commenting on Morris issue since the music man has been tight on the dicipline side of things. My only concern is on Brian baloyi and Moeneeb. He’s old,,,Y not give moeneeb a chance. I think Santana is laying a good solid foundation in terms of managing this national team…..DICIPLINE…..Hope SAFA does not bring it to an end after sacking the music man two years down the line, because thats what they good at,,giving other players special treatment.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:35 am
@Dumisani,
Hola Dumi! Very well put mfwethu, Mooneed is younger and posseses more potential than our dear old Baloyi, Baloya had his chance before and he failed to use it, but my feeling on the DISCIPLINE issue, I think it’s overrated, read my new post I wrote today
June 5th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
i don`t approve mhlongo and Baloyi inclusion, he should have included Tsutsulupa intead Of Mhlongo
September 10th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Fuk off with this santana nonsense. how do u folow a coach who
can only converse by sign language…interpretor or not. it was
a fuck up from the start..and he gets paid for fucking up
no performance assessments…fuck it im tired of this shit