WEDNESDAY, 9.30AM:
FORMER Bafana Bafana coach and current physical trainer Augusto “Njenje” Palacios leaves for Europe this week to monitor the perfomances of the overseas-based players earmaked for the squad to play against Germany in Dusseldorf on November 15.
South African Football Association CEO Danny Jordaan said among those players Palacios would be monitoring are French-based midfieder Junaid Hartely and defender Pierre Issa, Atletico Madird’s Quinton Fortune and Ajax Amsterdam’s Benedict McCarthy.
Of the local based players earmaked for inclusion in the Bafana Bafana squad are Moroka Swallows defender Edward Motale, Cosmos Brian Sebapole and Bush Bucks Thabo Mngomeni.
“This is the first step in our endeavour to keep tabs on players abroad. It is essential as we prepare for the forthcoming major African and World soccer events,” said Jordaan.
SPORT BRIEFS
DOS SANTOS RESIGNS CAPE Town Spurs coach Sergio Dos Santos has resigned as Spurs coach. He said he is resigning because some players were not disciplined and not commited to the club. “I had no problems with the directors, but some of the young players are too big for their boots,” said an angry Dos Santos.
OS IS BEST PLAYER IN ’97SPRINGBOK and Free State loosehead prop Os Du Randt on Tuesday night was named as the Bankfin-Rapport Player of the Year 1997 in a dinner in Sandton. Du Randt was chosen by a panel of South African rugby journalists.
NORTHERN’S TEAM DELAYEDNORTHERNS cricket coach Keith Medlycott has delayed the naming of the squad to play against Eastern Province in the Standard Bank League on Friday after two os his top batsmen were laid low. Medlycott will have to name replacements for unavailable Fanie de Villiers – in Pakistan with the cricket squad and Dan van Zyl, who is in the Springbok squad for the Tour.
PAGEL GOES ENGLISHSPRINGBOK prop Gary Pagel signed for English Premier Division side Northampton despite the announcement by the Springbok coach that players plying their overseas will not be picked for the Springbok.
FORMER BOKS TO PLAY FOR WALESFORMER Springbok No 8 Tiaan Strauss has signed to play for New South Wales next year.
MATLALA RENEWS CONTRACTINTERNATIONAL Boxing Association IBA light flyweight champion Jacob “Baby Jake” Matlala on Thursday renewed his one year contract with backers, Croxley. The company will now increase his monthly allowance from R2 000 to R4 000, he will now receive R10 000 after every match starting with his non-title fight against Luis Doria in the Boxing Extravaganza at the Carousel on November 15.
MATHEWS TO COACH SA U-17JOMO Cosmos development programme manager Roy Mathews is likely to be appointed South African Under-17 coach in the next three weeks. Mathews is among the coaches in the shortlist and it is believed that oficials of the South African Football Association were in favour of him.