BAFANA BAfana quietly slipped into Australia without much fanfare yesterday after leaving behind a media storm in SA that was surprisingly absent when they touched down here late in the afternoon.
There were no cameras or even journalists at Sydney International Airport yesterday, but there were certainly enough sullen faces to suggest that news of the record number of withdrawals from the Bafana camp were not taken very well by the locals.
The Bafana squad was hit by an unprecedented number of withdrawals as players cited injury, fatigue, a desire to stay at home with family during the off-season, holiday plans and downright indifference to the national jersey as reason for not travelling.
Such was the chaos that enveloped coach Gordon Igesund’s squad that he was even forced to call off a training session on Tuesday afternoon because he only had eight players in camp.
In the end, 18 players got on the plane to Sydney on Thursday night and it was thanks to sterling work done by Bafana team manager Barney Kujane that all the required paperwork and visas were completed on time before departure.
Customs officials in Australia said they felt short-changed after news of the problems within the Bafana camp reached this part of the world as they had hoped for a strong SA squad to give their national side a tough workout before the Socceroos depart to Brazil to play in the 2014 Soccer World Cup in a few days time.
The locals have dubbed this friendly encounter against the South African visitors a farewell party, but they are now under the impression that the send-off could become a damp squib after 14 players withdrew from Igesund’s side.
Igesund indicated this week that many of the players who gave up their off-season plans to travel Down Under at short notice might have put themselves ahead in the national team queue and a brilliant showing against Australia on Monday and New Zealand in Auckland on Friday may well put them in a strong position when the next Bafana squad is elected ahead of the 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers in September.
GOALKEEPERS: Senzo Meyiwa (Orlando Pirates), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport Utd).
DEFENDERS: Sibusiso Khumalo, Thato Mokeke (both SuperSport), Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Buhle Mkhwanazi (Pretoria University), Anele Ngcongca (Genk/BEL), Thabo Nthethe (Mamelodi Sundowns).
MIDFIELDERS: Hlompho Kekana, Bongani Zungu (both Sundowns), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Chiefs), Siyabonga Nhlapho (Wits University), Ayanda Patosi (Lokeren/BEL), Thuso Phala (SuperSport), Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam/NED), Themba Zwane (Mpumalanga Black Aces).
STRIKERS: Siphelele Mthembu (Platinum Stars), Tokelo Rantie (Bournemouth/ENG).
Depleted Bafana insult to Oz
There were no cameras or even journalists at Sydney International Airport yesterday, but there were certainly enough sullen faces to suggest that news of the record number of withdrawals from the Bafana camp were not taken very well by the locals.
The Bafana squad was hit by an unprecedented number of withdrawals as players cited injury, fatigue, a desire to stay at home with family during the off-season, holiday plans and downright indifference to the national jersey as reason for not travelling.
Such was the chaos that enveloped coach Gordon Igesund’s squad that he was even forced to call off a training session on Tuesday afternoon because he only had eight players in camp.
In the end, 18 players got on the plane to Sydney on Thursday night and it was thanks to sterling work done by Bafana team manager Barney Kujane that all the required paperwork and visas were completed on time before departure.
Customs officials in Australia said they felt short-changed after news of the problems within the Bafana camp reached this part of the world as they had hoped for a strong SA squad to give their national side a tough workout before the Socceroos depart to Brazil to play in the 2014 Soccer World Cup in a few days time.
The locals have dubbed this friendly encounter against the South African visitors a farewell party, but they are now under the impression that the send-off could become a damp squib after 14 players withdrew from Igesund’s side.
Igesund indicated this week that many of the players who gave up their off-season plans to travel Down Under at short notice might have put themselves ahead in the national team queue and a brilliant showing against Australia on Monday and New Zealand in Auckland on Friday may well put them in a strong position when the next Bafana squad is elected ahead of the 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers in September.
GOALKEEPERS: Senzo Meyiwa (Orlando Pirates), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport Utd).
DEFENDERS: Sibusiso Khumalo, Thato Mokeke (both SuperSport), Erick Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Buhle Mkhwanazi (Pretoria University), Anele Ngcongca (Genk/BEL), Thabo Nthethe (Mamelodi Sundowns).
MIDFIELDERS: Hlompho Kekana, Bongani Zungu (both Sundowns), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Chiefs), Siyabonga Nhlapho (Wits University), Ayanda Patosi (Lokeren/BEL), Thuso Phala (SuperSport), Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam/NED), Themba Zwane (Mpumalanga Black Aces).
STRIKERS: Siphelele Mthembu (Platinum Stars), Tokelo Rantie (Bournemouth/ENG).
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