Siyabonga Nomvethe of Swallows and Wayne Arendse of Santos.
“I was not expecting to be back in the national team because my first ambition was to help Swallows,” the veteran Moroka Swallows striker said on Monday.
PSL’s player of the month for April, the 34-year-old Nomvethe was likely to be named in coach Pitso Mosimane’s squad for the crucial 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and Botswana in June.
Mosimane had earlier indicated that Nomvethe would be rewarded for his form and 18 league goals this campaign.
“He is a dedicated and disciplined player and I have no doubt he will make a difference against Ethiopia and Botswana,” Mosimane said on the weekend.
“His physique is very good, so is his speed. He can cope with the way we play at Bafana.”
Struggling with form
Though Bhele had not received any official confirmation, his experience and goal-poaching abilities could play a key role for Bafana, who have been poor in front of goals.
Even the normally reliable Katlego Mphela has struggled with form for both country and his club, Mamelodi Sundowns, in recent times.
Nomvethe, the former Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Udinese Calcio (Italy) player, is Bafana’s fourth all-time leading scorer with 16 goals from 79 appearances.
He scored the winner in Bafana’s first World Cup win over Slovenia at the 2002 South Korea/Japan tournament.
Nomvethe’s form with Swallows also forced his entrance to the 2010 World Cup squad under Carlos Parreira, before being dropped when Mosimane took over after the tournament, as he looked to blood youth.
Poor results
The formula backfired with Bafana failing to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and a string of poor results.
With a dearth of proven net finders, Mosimane came under fire for not including seasoned campaigners like Nomvethe and Bafana’s leading scorer, Benni McCarthy.
“People called me and told me that the coach [Mosimane] has said in newspapers that I will be recalled in the squad,” Nomvethe said.
“Being part of the national team is a big achievement … I can’t say that the other [younger] players have been doing badly … But maybe they need to know what the national jersey should mean to them … With people talking about how poor Bafana is, I’ll be happy to join the team and look to help.”
Nomvethe’s championship-chasing Swallows have a league fixture against Platinum Stars in Dobsonville on Saturday. — Sapa