England are not expecting to steamroll Bafana Bafana when the countries meet in a friendly international at the Absa stadium on Thursday night.
That was the word from England captain David Beckham at a media briefing near the England squad’s hotel on Tuesday night.
”I have been talking to Quinton Fortune about the game and I know Lucas Radebe very well,” said the England skipper of his Manchester United teammate Fortune and Bafana and Leeds United skipper Radebe.
Radebe will earn his 70th cap for South Africa when he leads out Bafana in this match to promote South Africa’s 2010 World Cup bid campaign.
”Playing away is always difficult and I know that we will meet a tough team so we are not expecting to have an easy night,” said Beckham who added that he was honoured to lead his side against Bafana and also stressed that he fully supported South Africa’s World Cup bid.
”It would be simply amazing to have a World Cup played in such a great country as South Africa. I fully back the South African bid,” Beckham told a packed media briefing of local and English journalists.
Beckham, one of the biggest stars in world football, admitted that he was in awe of his meeting with former president Nelson Mandela on Wednesday.
”It is a tremendous honour for me and the players to meet such an inspirational figure as Mr Mandela. Frankly I am in awe and really looking forward to having a good chat with him.”
Beckham also stressed that meeting Madiba was not his sole reason for coming to play against South Africa.
”I am suspended for our next Euro 2004 qualifier against Slovakia but after a talk with the FA [Football Association] and manager [Sven-Goran Eriksson] I felt it was important that as captain I come here and play. This is a very big game for both countries and I expect it will be a good game.”
He also congratulated Radebe on winning his 70th cap for his country.
”I have a deep respect for Lucas and he deserves the ovation that he will receive from the fans on Thursday when he leads out South Africa.”
Eriksson started that he also expected a difficult 90 minutes.
”Every game is important and we want to do well.”
Meanwhile Fortune, Charlton Athletic striker Shaun Bartlett, German based wing back Bradley Carnell, and Steven Pienaar have not arrived in the Bafana camp. Bartlett and Fortune are expected in the morning while Pienaar is a very doubtful starter as he is struggling to get released by his Dutch club, Ajax Amsterdam.
But Celta Vigo striker Benni McCarthy, World Cup midfielder Macbeth Sibaya and Belgium based World Cup defender Aaron Mokoena all trained with the squad this afternoon under coach Jomo Sono. – Sapa