An astute betting man would have had his money firmly on Monday’s chances of Bafana Bafana stars Benni McCarthy, Quinton Fortune and Macbeth Sibaya materialising from the very outset.
McCarthy, Fortune and Sibaya have all pulled out of the South African squad for the friendly international against Namibia in Windhoek on Wednesday and even caretaker coach Pitso Mosimane could not have been less surprised.
Mosimane originally selected an enlarged squad of 21 players for the Windhoek game, which is designed as a dress rehearsal for the more important 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Johannesburg on September 2.
And the Bafana coach mentioned meaningfully at the time he would be left with cover for McCarthy, Fortune and Sibaya should they drop out.
McCarthy and Sibaya have both provided plausible reasons for their non-arrival, but although a late communication has arrived from his new English Premiership club, Bolton Wanderers, claiming Fortune has aggravated an old leg injury, he has also taken on the familiar role of the ”Invisible Man” when it comes to representing Bafana.
”Benni spoke to Safa [South African Football Association] international affairs director Barney Kujane,” said Mosimane, ”and put forward a fair case for being released from the Windhoek trip. He hopes to make his debut for Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and it is a pivotal game in his career. We therefore agreed to his request.”
”I personally spoke to Sibaya,” added the Bafana coach, ”and he confirmed an earlier message from his Russian club that he was injured.
”As for Fortune, no one has been able to make contact with him — and Bolton officials say they have no number for him in Spain where their squad has been preparing for the start of the new English season.”
The missing trio apart, the other 18 Bafana players have assembled at their Johannesburg camp and will leave for Windhoek early on Tuesday afternoon for the game, which kicks off at 8pm on Wednesday. — Sapa