Bafana Confed Cup squad named
8 May 2009
Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana has named his 30-man provisional squad to represent South Africa in the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup. The big news is the exclusion of striker Benni McCarthy.
The 30-man squad will meet for the first time for training at Milpark on 13 May; the Premier Soccer League reaches its conclusion on 9 May. The squad will then be reduced to 23 players ahead of the Confederations Cup kick-off on 4 June.
Preparations ahead of the tournament will include three matches: against a First Division team on 23 May, against Mauritius on 30 May, and against Poland on 6 June.
McCarthy out
The omission of McCarthy follows a recent incident in which he declared himself unavailable for Bafana Bafana and unable to travel to South Africa, even though his club, Blackburn Rovers, said he was fit to make the trip.
McCarthy has in the past attracted the ire of South African fans due to his on-off relationship with the national team. Coach Santana courted McCarthy when he took over from Carlos Alberto Parreira, saying he wanted and needed him in the team, but it appears he has now tired of the striker's act.
Santana has instead opted for five strikers instead of the usual selection of three forwards. Clearly he is opening up the competition to the players to step up and claim McCarthy's place.
Contenders
The five contenders include Red Star Belgrade's Bernard Parker who, in duty as a substitute, has shown a good eye for goal. Former Ajax Cape Town marksman "Terror" Fanteni', now with Maccabi Haifa, is also included, as are the local trio of Orlando Pirates' Katlego Mashego, Mamelodi Sundowns' Katlego Mphela, and Mabuti Khenyeza of Ajax Cape Town.
The omission of Golden Arrows striker Richard Henyekane has raised some eyebrows. He leads all Premier Soccer League goal-scorers with 18, two more than Khenyeza and way more than Mashego's eight and Mphela's paltry three.
Four goalkeepers have been included, with veteran Brian Baloyi of Mamelodi Sundowns joining Kaizer Chiefs' rising star, Itumeleng Khune, and Orlando Pirates' Moeneeb Josephs, as well as Rowen Fernandez, who plays for German Bundesliga club Arminia Bielefeld.
Group A
South Africa is in Group A of the eight-team Confederations Cup, along with Asian champions Iraq, Oceania champions New Zealand, and European title-holders Spain.
Bafana Bafana will open their campaign against Iraq on 14 June at Coca Cola Park in Johannesburg. After that they face New Zealand in Rustenburg on 17 June.
Undoubtedly the team's biggest test will be on 20 June in Bloemfontein when they take on European champion's Spain, the world's top ranked team.
Group B features South American champions Brazil, 2006 World Cup winners Italy, African champions Egypt, and CONCACAF champs the United States of America.
SA PROVISIONAL SQUAD
GoalkeepersBrian Baloyi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Rowen Fernandez (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates) and Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)
DefendersMatthew Booth (Sundowns), Siboniso Gaxa (Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (Supersport United), Morgan Gould (SuperSport United), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Innocent Mdledle (Pirates) Lucas Thwala (Pirates), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England), Bryce Moon (Panathinaikos, Greece) and Nasief Morris (Recreativo de Huela, Spain)
MidfieldersLance Davids (SuperSport), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Golden Arrows), Benson Mhlongo (Pirates), Teko Modise (Pirates), Surprise Moriri (Sundowns), Masilo Modubi (Westerlo, Belgium), Siyabonga Nkosi (Maccabi Netanya, Israel), Steven Pienaar (Everton, England), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Chiefs) and Elrio van Heerden (Club Brugge, Belgium)
StrikersThembinkosi "Terror" Fanteni (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Mabhuti Khenyeza (Ajax Cape Town), Katlego Mashego (Pirates) and Katlego Mphela (Sundowns)
SAinfo reporter and BuaNews
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