By Michael Madyira
Bafana Bafana Cosafa Cup coach Helman Mkhalele believes players who participated in the regional tournament can break into the national team squad for major tournaments.
South Africa failed to reach the Cosafa Cup semi-finals after struggling in the group phase.
They drew with Mozambique and Botswana before a narrow 1-0 victory over Eswatini on Tuesday.
But Mkhalele is not concerned about failing to reach the knockout stage as he focuses on the players he thinks could be the national team’s future.
“I would say right now I’m quite happy with some of the boys I have seen, who I believe have raised their hands in terms of getting themselves closer to the Bafana Bafana that plays qualifiers,” Mkhalele told the media.
“What this tournament has done for those who are getting closer to the national team is that if we have an injury, it is easier to say we have someone who we have identified.
“Then we check now, and the first question would be how many international caps does he have and exposure; then we say at least he played in the Cosafa Cup. Yes, they have a real chance [of being selected for Bafana].”
However, Mkhalele is worried some of the players’ progress could be hindered by their respective clubs.
“The only challenge that they might experience is that they might not get the opportunity at their clubs,” he said.
“Sometimes you find out that they come and in the Cosafa Cup and we make promises that we will select them, only to find that when they go back to their clubs they don’t get game time and it then becomes difficult for us to bring them because they don’t have that mileage even though they have international exposure.”
Mkhalele’s squad featured fringe players, including those who play for National First Division-bound Cape Town Spurs.
Pictured above: Bafana Bafana midfielder Ethan Brooks closing in on Eswatini forward Thubelihle Mavuso.
Source: Bafana Bafana
