UMQEQESHI weBafana Bafana, uStuart Baxter, uphonsele inselelo isethenjwa se-Orlando Pirates uThembinkosi “Nyoso” Lorch ngokuthi sikhombise ukuthi singcono kunabadlali esibanga nabo indawo eqenjini lesizwe.
ULorch usanda kuhlabana ngomklomelo womdlali ovele kuleli i-Absa Premiership Footballer of the Season ne-Absa Premiership Players’ Player of the Season ka-2018/2019. Emuva kokuthola lo mklomelo uthe unethemba lokuthi uzomakhela ugazi kuBaxter, athole isikimu kwiBafana. Izolo, uBaxter umemezele isikwati sabadlali abawu-28 azohlunga kubona esizodlala emqhudelwaneni i-Africa Cup of Nations ezoba se-Egypt kusukela nguJuni 21 kuya kuJulayi 19.
ULorch ugcina ukugqoka ijezi leBafana ngesikhathi engena esiwombeni sesibili ibhekene neNigeria kowokuhlungela i-Afcon eFNB Stadium. KwiBafana uzobanga indawo noThemba Zwane noKeegan Dolly abadlala ezinhlangothini.
“Lokhu akukho mayelana nokuthi uLorch uthini, uKermit (Erasmus), u-Itu (Khune) uthini. Akukho ngalokho. Abezindaba bathanda okukhulunywayo, thina sithanda okwenziwayo. Konke kuzobonakala ekhempini. UThembinkosi ungumdlali omuhle, imfanele imiklomelo ngoba ubeyikho konke kwiPirates kule sizini, wazifaka ezinhliziywei zabalandeli nabebevota (abaqeqeshi),” kusho uBaxter.
“Manje sekufanele athathe iso lethu ngoba uzobanga isikimu nabadlali abaphezulu. UThemba Zwane ube nesizini enhle, uKeagan Dolly naye ube nesizini enhle. Uma ubuka indlela adlala ngayo, uzobanga nabadlali abahle. Kufanele abe ngcono kunabo. Akukhona ukuthi kufanele angikhombise ukuthi ungumdlali ophezulu kodwa kufanele angivezele ukuthi ungcono kunalaba esinabo. Yikho ngimkhethile ngoba ngiyakholwa wukuthi angakwenza lokho. Uma ekhempini edlala ngale ndlela abedlala ngayo kwiPirates, ngizokweneliseka.”
FUNDA:
IBafana izofulathela leli ngoJuni 3 ibhekise amabombo eDubai lapho izodlala khona imidlalo yobungani emibili neGhana nelinye iqembu elisazomenyezelwa. Isikwati sabadlali abawu-23 abazoya kwi-Afcon sizomenyezelwa ngaphambi kwale midlalo .
UBaxter umangaze abaningi ebiza u-Erasmus osekunesikhathi agcina ukudlubha ijezi leBafana. Lo mgadli weCape Town City, waba sematheni ngesikhathi kusaqeqesha u-Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba enqaba ukudlalela iBafana ethi akayena umdlali webhentshi nowokuchibiyela.
“Uma kukhona umdlali kulaba esibabizile etshela abaphathi beSafa ukuthi akayena umdlali webhentshi angakhishwa ngokushesha ohlwini. Angicabangi ukuthi uKermit angakusho lokho okwamanje. Kodwa ngingakuqonda uma abantu bemtshela ukuthi kumfanele ukuba sesikwatini.Angakusho lokho njengabadlali abaningi. Kunokulalela izinkulumo zabadlali abazenza bephoxekile, ngincamela ukubeka phansi umoya ngikhulume naye ukuthi angikwazi ukukuqinisekisa ukuthi uzosithola isikimu,” kusho uBaxter.
Isikwati sBafana Bafana:
Onozinti: Darren Keet (Bidvest Wits ), Ronwen Williams (Supersport), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs).
Abasemuva: Daniel Cardoso (Chiefs), Rivaldo Coetzee (Sundowns), Ramahlwe Mphahlele (Chiefs), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Wits), Innocent Maela (Pirates), S’Fiso Hlanti (Wits ), Buhle Mkhawanazi (Wits), Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City).
Abasesiswini: Bongani Zungu (Amiens), Hlompho Kekana (Downs), Dean Furman (SS), Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford), Tiyani Mabunda (Downs), Thulani Serero (Vitesse), Thembinkosi Lorch (Pirates), Themba Zwane (Downs), Fortune Makaringe (Maritzburg), Ben Motshwari (Pirates), Keagan Dolly
Amafolosi: Lebo Mothiba (Strasbourg), Percy Tau (Royal St Union), Lars Veldwijk (Sparta Rotterdam), Lebogang Maboe (Downs), Sibusiso Vilakazi (Downs), Kermit Erasmus (CT City)