Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has emphasized the significance of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) – stating that it is a key international experience for the first team.
South Africa will now face North African giants Egypt in the CHAN qualifiers at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
The return fixture will be played on March 9 in Egypt.
On Wednesday, the SA Football Association announced that former Kaizer Chiefs coach and recently fired Marumo Gallants technical director Molefi Ntseki will head the team.
Ntseki will be assisted by SA U20 coach Raymond Mdaka.
“The team assembled in Johannesburg on Wednesday, then travelled to the Free State with Safa technical committee chairman Jack Maluleke and SA U20 coach Raymond Mdaka,” Safa said in a statement.
“Mdaka will assist former Bafana Bafana mentor Molefi Ntseki, who joined the camp this evening and will now assume the reins as coach of the team.”
Saleng included in CHAN squad
Last week, Safa named a strong squad that will represent Bafana, with the likes of Kaizer Chiefs DStv Diski Challenge captain Aden McCarthy, Mamelodi Sundowns trio Jody February, Neo Maema, and Terrence Mashego some of the notable inclusions.
The surprise inclusion was that of Orlando Pirates star Monnapule Saleng, who has been missing in action for the Buccaneers due to undisclosed personal reasons.
Ahead of the competition, Broos said that tournaments such as the Cosafa and Chan are important, as they will help players gain experience for the first team.
“In the previous CHAN and Cosafa, we were knocked out because we didn’t have the good players, and those are competitions where you also need to have good young players, Broos said recently.
“A year ago [in the Chan], we should have had Oswin Appollis, Mohau Nkota, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Elias Mokwana in.
“But when you look at other African countries, they have many of their many local players, and some of the first team players are playing in CHAN or Cosafa.
“But with us, when you look at the likes of Mokwana and Appollis, they had no minutes in international football before they joined us.
“So, these competitions are an international experience and something players who are coming from other teams don’t have when they come to Bafana Bafana.”
