Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter on Tuesday axed Mbulelo Mabizela as captain of the national team for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso at the FNB stadium.
At a media briefing on Tuesday, where he trimmed his squad from 27 to 21 players for the match, Baxter said that Aaron Mokoena has been named captain for Saturday’s match.
”Mabizela has been dropped as captain but not as a player for this match only. It was done on a point of order after he arrived in camp late,” explained Baxter.
Baxter said that it will be up to Mabizela, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur in England, to show his determination to regain the captain’s armband.
”I had an open disucussion with him and he agreed that his conduct in arriving late in the camp was not what was expected of the national captain.
”I stress this is temporary. Mabizela told me that he will fight to regain the captaincy of Bafana,” said Baxter.
Mokoena, who plays in Belgium for Genk, is a natural leader and could prove to be a popular choice both on and off the field.
Mabizela was the second blow to hit the camp this week following the resignation — for the third time — of Charlton Athletic defender Mark Fish, who quit on Monday for ”personal reasons”.
One of those reasons, although it was not stated, was over Mabizela arriving late when most of the other players were already in camp.
Baxter said the door has finally been closed on Fish: ”I was disappointed but understood to a degree his frustrations. However, I told him that there is no way back this time. His decision to retire is final. I will not call him up in the future.”
There were few surprises in Baxter’s final 21-man squad. Ajax Cape Town goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs is injured as is striker Thando Mngomeni, who has recently joined Swedish club Helsingborg.
Those dropped are Gabriel Mofokeng (Moroka Swallows), Stanton Fredericks (Kaizer Chiefs), George Koumantarakis (Preston North End, England) and Abram Raselemane (SuperSport United). — Sapa
Bafana squad:
Goalkeepers: Hans Vonk (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland), Calvin Marlin (SuperSport United)
Defenders: Neil Winstanley (Wits), Aaron Mokoena (Genk, Belgium, captain), Jacob Lekgetho (Locomotiv Moscow, Russia), Mbulelo Mabizela (Totenham Hotspur, England), Bradley Carnell (Moenchengladbach, Germany), Lucky Lekgathi (Orlando Pirates), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos, Greece)
Midfielders: Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam, Holand), Benson Mhlongo, Wits), Lance Davids (1860 Munich, Germany), Delron Buckley (VfL Bochum, Germany), Benedict Vilakazi (Pirates), Elrio van Heerden (FC Copenhagen, Denmark), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Japhet Zwane (Rostov, Russia), Tyren Arendse (Santos).
Strikers: Siyabonga Nomvete (Salernitana, Italy), Shaun Bartlett (Charlton Athletic, England) and Benni McCarthy (FC Porto, Portugal)