Weekend speculation that the suspension of Bafana Bafana head coach Ephraim ”Shakes” Mashaba could pave way for the return of Benni McCarthy, Mark Fish and George Koumantarakis, has no foundation.
SABC News reported on Monday night that the the South African Football Association (Safa), which suspended Mashaba for seven days last week, had tried unsuccessfully to persuade McCarthy to reconsider his retirement from international football.
The Cape Town-born star striker, who banged in two goals for his Portuguese club Porto in their 2-0 win over Pacos on the weekend, announced his retirement from international football earlier this month.
McCarthy, Mark Fish and George Koumantarakis were all selected by Mashaba to do duty for South Africa in Tunisia. But McCarthy and Fish bombed out of the squad because Mashaba would not allow them to arrive late for a training camp.
Koumantarakis was also reported not to be coming. He is said to have been out of action for some time with an injury.
It is unclear whether Fish will make an about-turn and appear in Tunisia for the African soccer showpiece on January 24. Steven Pienaar is another player about whom there are doubts.
The dazzling Ajax Amsterdam playmaker is nursing an injury he was reported to have sustained last year.
South Africa, who are still reeling form a shocking 2-0 defeat against minnows Mauritius in the Cosafa Cup match on Saturday, will leave for Tunisia this week.
Stand-in coach Styles Phumo seemed unperturbed.
”It is a situation of Player A sitting on the bench and Player B making the starting line up. In this case Mashaba is sitting on the bench I am on the starting line up,” he said.
Meanwhile Mashaba, who was slapped with a seven-day suspension for what Safa termed a ”breach of his contract”, will face his accusers in his bid to have his suspension reversed in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday. – Sapa