The injured Nasief Morris and Elrio van Heerden apart, Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira included all his tried-and-tested players in a 22-man squad to play 22nd-ranked Scotland in a friendly international at the Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen on Wednesday night.
The worldly, experienced former Brazilian national coach was taking no chances and even named the livewire Sibusiso Zuma in his plans, in spite of the Arminia Bielefeld striker being unavailable for the forthcoming African Nations Cup qualifier against Zambia in Cape Town because of a Caf suspension.
In-form Moroka Swallows central defender Bevan Fransman comes into the squad in place of Morris and Kagisho Dikgacoi of Golden Arrows is named in place of Van Heerden, with Ajax Cape Town’s Brett Evans another newcomer to Parreira’s Bafana plans.
Asked at the media announcement what prompted him to select Dikgacoi and Evans, Parreira said it was ”not because of their sparkling blue eyes or good looks”.
”They are in the squad because I see them as players of quality who have the potential to cement permanent places in the Bafana make-up,” he added. ”It’s as simple as that.”
And he has also rewarded in-form, relative newcomers Teko Modise of Orlando Pirates and Thembinkosi ”Terror” Fanteni of Ajax Cape Town with continued places among the squad members.
Parreira said he regarded the coming friendly internationals against Scotland, Italy and the United States as invaluable, experience-building exercises for the 2010 World Cup.
”We obviously want to win every game that we can,” added the Bafana coach, ”but in these encounters it is more important to come up against teams of note who are likely to compete in the World Cup — learn from them and adjust to the circumstances that will face us in 2010 beforehand and not when it is too late.” — Sapa
Bafana Squad:
Goalkeepers: Rowen Fernandez (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Calvin Marlin (Mamelodi Sundowns),
Defenders: Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England), Bradley Carnell (Karlsruhe, Germany), Cyril Nzama (Kaizer Chiefs), Vuyo Mere (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bevan Fransman (Moroka Swallows), Brett Evans (Ajax Cape Town)), Benson Mhlongo (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Midfielders: MacBeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Golden Arrows), Steven Pienaar (Everton, England), Dillon Sheppard (Mamelodi Sundowns), Papi Zothwane (Golden Arrows), Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nkosi (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Benedict Vilakazi (Aarlborg, Denmark), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Delron Buckley (Borussia Dortmund).
Strikers: Siyabonga Nomvete (Aarlborg, Denmark) Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Thembinkosi Fanteni ( Ajax Cape Town).