CONNIE SELEBOGO, Johannesburg | Thursday 5.00pm.
TEMPERS reached boiling point at a news conference in Johannesburg when South African under-23 soccer coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba reacted angrily to what he took to be accusations that the team is being mis-managed.
Mashaba openly lashed out at South African Football Association CEO Raymond Hack when he answered a question pertaining to the Angolan squad’s month-long preparatory stay in South Africa by saying, “they take their team seriously.”
The under-23’s will meet Angola in an international friendly at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday in preparation for their upcoming Olympic qualifiers.
Angola will host Zimbabwe, while South Africa meet Cameroon at Vosloorus in Johannesburg on February 19.
Mashaba retorted by saying that his future is on the line of the under-23’s lose the match.
He added that “people should know” that the team’s lack of preparation should be blamed “if this team loses against Angola.”
Mashaba also said that he is facing some difficulty in securing the services of players he wants to include in the under 23 squad.
Some players may not feature in the games due to their commitments elsewhere.
Two players who are uncertain starters for Saturday’s friendly are Jabu Pule and Haraepa Marumo.
The squad:
Rowen Fernandez, Stanton Fredericks (Wits University), Nkipitheni Matombo (Manning Rangers), Daniel Matsau, Hendrik Gulwa, Fabian McCarthy, Abram Nteo (all Bloemfontein Celtic), Matthew Booth, Sibongakonke Ndlovu (all Sundowns), Mzunani Mgwigwi (Bush Bucks), David Kannemeyer (Ajax Cape Town), Patrick Mbuthu, Jabu Pule (all Kaizer Chiefs), Sibusiso Mazibuko (Moroka Swallows), Alex Motaung (Hellenic), Nkosinathi Nhleko (Jomo Cosmos), Hareaipha Marumo.