Banyana Banyana midfielder Thalea Smidt has given insight into the players’ thoughts and how they view their away international friendly match against the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Smidt made her senior national team debut in a friendly against the Copper Queens of Zambia in February, and also featured in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Awcon) qualifier against Algeria a few days later.
She raised her hand after an impressive showing and earned the call-up to the clash against the Netherlands, who are ranked fifth in the world.
Speaking to Safa Media after the team’s second training session at Highlands Park on Thursday, the player was impressed by the hard shift from her teammates as they prepare for what she believes will be a good test of their mental strength.
“It feels good to be back in camp. We had our second training session today and you can already see the difference with the girls pushing, and we are much more shaper than we were when we assembled for previous camps”, said Smidt.
“The league has not started yet, but most of us are further into pre-season and we have been playing friendly matches. This should help us a lot going into our international friendly against the Netherlands.
“However, we should not be thinking too much about not being in season with our respective teams, and like the coach said, it will be a mental battle at the end of the day and it will be good to test ourselves against the best in the world.
She shared further: “We also still have our international based players joining us and most, if not all, are active in their leagues. When they join us, they will boost the team morale and we will be ready to go.”
The senior women’s national team has a hectic calendar ahead with the Awcon, World Cup, and Olympics all being the main focus.
Asked about finding a balance between family and a hectic football schedule, Smidt highlighted the importance of discipline and time management.
Smidt said: “At the end of the day football is our job and we have to prioritise football, be disciplined and be able to manage what we do during our spare time. It is also important to manage yourself as an individual because the medical team is not always around, so you need to take that responsibility.”
She also touched on her ambitions of playing in Europe in the future and revealed her desired destination.
“I would like to play in the big leagues in Europe. England, Spain and France are some of the leagues that I see myself at. I like the French league and I am a big fan of the PSG style of play.
“Playing abroad is definitely part of my ambitions, but the focus is the upcoming game against the Netherlands.”
Banyana knuckle down for friendly against the Netherlands
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