OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Tuesday 3.00pm.
BAFANA Bafana coach Trott Moloto has indicated that he is not considering dropping any of the 18-man squad that that beat Lesotho 2-0 in their World Cup qualifier last weekend, but may draft in Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune for the return-leg match.
The match takes place next Saturday in Bloemfontein, and chances are that Bafana’s regular skipper Lucas Radebe may also be available.
Fortune and Radebe, who plays and skippers English Premiership side Leeds United, have said that they may be available for the match and if Bafana want their services, management will have to navigate their way through a Fifa ruling which indicated that clubs must be given a two-week notice if players are needed for internationals.
It does seem, however, that Radebe and Fortune’s chances are being in the return-squad are good, as Bafana team manager Zola Dunywa says that the Fifa rule will probably be waived because of Bafana’s good relationship with players’ clubs.
Radebe and Fortune’s availability will be a big boost to Bafana, but Dunywa said that there is not any pressure on the players or their clubs to play or release players for the Lesotho match. Radebe will be playing a Uefa Cup semi-final against Galatasaray on Thursday at Elland Road, with Leeds trailing 2-0.
Moloto’s new-look squad will certainly be hot favourites for the Lesotho second-leg clash, and it is debatable whether Fortune and Radebe are really required for the game. Certainly, Fortune will make a difference in midfield, but Bafana are unlikely to be beaten at home, even without Fortune in the line-up.
Meanwhile, Safa Chief Executive, Raymond Hack confirmed that a new pay-scale will be in effect for Bafana players — depending on the number of caps accumulated.