Bafana bafana coach Ntseki lashes out at ‘unfair’ clubs

Bafana Bafana head coach Molefi Ntseki has hit out at clubs that have barred South African players from reporting for international duty.

Molefi Ntseki’s Bafana Bafana will be without four influential players when they take on Ghana and Sudan in crunch AFCON Qualifiers this week.

Bongani Zungu (Rangers FC, Scotland), Dean Furman (Carlisle United, England), Thulani Serero (Al Jazira, Abu Dhabi) and Keagan Dolly (Montpellier, France) were all denied of the opportunity of linking up with the national team due to strict club COVID-19 protocols.

It’s unfair for Bafana Bafana – Molefi Ntseki

“We should all agree that nobody from South Africa or Africa brought Covid-19. It is very unfair for us to be punished by saying: ‘You cannot be released to go to South Africa because it is a hot spot’. I think all over the world, it’s a hot spot,” Ntseki told members of the media.

“For them not to release our players it’s a very big disappointment for us. I think even in South America, they were made aware that there were players that weren’t going to be released for the World Cup qualifiers and they suspended their games.”

We’ll have to cope without them – Williams

“Obviously we are disappointed to have lost some of our soldiers, but the players who come in need to step up,” Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams said.

“It is not going to be easy, because there is a short time between now and the match. But the preparation started long ago. The technical team sent us information long before, so we know the game plan, we know what to do and how Ghana play. It is just for us as leaders to help the new guys coming in.”

Bafana bafana squad in full

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• Goalkeepers: Veli Mothwa (Amazulu FC), Ronwen Williams (Supersport Utd), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs).
• Bafana Defenders: Thibang Phete (OS Belenenses SAD, Portugal), Siyanda Xulu (Haopel Tel Aviv, Israel), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Orlando Pirates), Musa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates), Sfiso Hlanti (Swallows), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Craig Martin (Cape Town City).
• Midfielders: Rivaldo Coetzee (Mamelodi Sundowns), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ben Motshwari (Orlando Pirates), Percy Tau (Brighton and Hove Albion, England), Sipho Mbule (Supersport United), Andile Jali (Mamelodi Sundowns), Luther Singh (Braga FC, Portugal), Vincent Pule (Orlando Pirates), Thabo Nodada (Cape Town City), Mothobi Mvala (Mamelodi Sundowns).
• Bafana Attackers: Lebo Maboe (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thabiso Kutumela (Maritzburg United), Ruzaigh Gamildien (Swallows), Lyle Foster (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal).