Four players Withdraw From Bafana Squad
Bafana landed in Durban without Tefu Mashamaite, as well as
the injured trio of Dean Furman, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Mzikayise Mashaba.
Mashamaite has withdrawn due to family commitments while Furman is nursing a
knee injury; Vilakazi is out with an ankle injury while Mashaba is suffering
from a shoulder injury. Head coach Ephraim Mashaba has called up four players
to replace the quartet – Tshepo Gumede, Ntsikelelo Nyauza (both of Orlando
Pirates); Siphelele Ntshangase (Black Leopards) and Jabulani Shongwe of Bidvest
Wits. All the overseas-based players, with the exception of Tokelo Rantie who
is getting married this weekend, have reported for national team duty – Anele
Ngcongca, Ayanda Patosi, Andile Jali (all from Belgium); Thulani Serero
(Netherlands); and May Mahlangu (Turkey).
Bafana Bafana squad:
GOALKEEPERS: Jackson Mabokgwane (Mpumalanga Black Aces),
Itumeleng Khune (unattached), Brilliant Khuzwayo (Kaizer Chiefs)
DEFENDERS: Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk FC, Belgium), Patrick
Phungwayo (Orlando Pirates), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates), Siyabonga Nhlapo
(Bidvest Wits), Clayton Daniels (SuperSport United), Thulani Hlatshwayo
(BidVest Wits), Rivaldo Coetzee (Ajax Cape Town), Marc Van Heerden (AmaZulu),
Tshepo Gumede (Orlando Pirates), Ntsikelelo Nyauza (Orlando Pirates)
MIDFIELDERS: Andile Jali (Oostende FC, Belgium), Oupa
Manyisa (Orlando Pirates), Bongani Zungu (Mamelodi Sundowns), May Mahlangu (Konyaspor
FC, Turkey), Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam FC, Netherlands), Ayanda Patosi
(Lokeren FC, Belgium), Thuso Phala (SuperSport United), Mandla Masango (MP
Black Aces), Jabulani Shongwe (BidVest Wits)
STRIKERS: Bonginkosi Ntuli (AmaZulu), Vuyisile Wana (Moroka
Swallows), Tokelo Rantie (AFC Bournemouth, England), Gift Motupa (Baroka FC),
Sphelele Ntshangase (Black Leopards)
Free State Stars
defender Daniel Cardoso has confirmed that his reported move to Kaizer Chiefs
is “pretty much done”. The newly capped Bafana Bafana centre-back
is widely understood to have signed a three-year deal with the Absa Premiership
champions, although the deal was not confirmed as was expected at a big Chiefs
press conference last week. Cardoso says he is waiting for his new club to
announce the deal before he can talk freely about the move. “There isn’t any
more news, I want them [Chiefs] to make the announcement first,” Cardoso said.
“It’s pretty much done, so it will go through. I’m definitely excited but
I’ve gotta thank Free State Stars for giving me the platform.” The 26-year-old
will replace Tefu Mashamaite in the Amakhosi backline after the PSL Footballer
of the Season turned down the club’s new offer on financial grounds.
Bafana Bafana coach
Ephraim Mashaba says he will continue to rotate the captaincy and the number
one jersey going into the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Mashaba
has passed the armband around since taking charge in September, and
surprisingly used three goalkeepers in as many matches at the Nations Cup
finals earlier this year. And Mashaba will stick with the policy as he prepares
his team for their Group M opener with Gambia at Moses Mabhida Stadium on
Saturday. “What we are seeing here [pointing to his squad], every player
is raising their hands up to say, ‘I’m available and I can perform this
responsibility’,” Mashaba says from Bafana’s training base at People’s
Park in Durban. “That is what we are seeing when we make them house
captain because it is still the same. Actually being the house captain, it’s
more work than the team captain when you are going to play. On the field of
play… what is your responsibility as the captain? It’s to toss the coin and
it is finished, because you already have given the decision and you can’t go
and query that decision otherwise you find yourself in the stands. But in the
camp the player needs to make sure he brings the players together and if there
are problems he’s got to make sure he sorts them out before coming to us. And
of course we know players like to take chances. We need players who will handle
such things.” Mashaba has called up glovemen Itumeleng Khune, Jackson
Mabokgwane and Brilliant Khuzwayo for the upcoming affair. “Yes, we will
rotate there as well,” he added. “I want people to think back when we
started. As we said, we are building up a team and we have now laid a good
foundation but that foundation doesn’t mean to say we are not going to look at
other players… we need to make sure we also give others a chance. If you look
at the goalkeeping berth… three top goalkeepers in our league so we got to
make sure who ever plays and whoever is on the list on the day gives of their
best.” Bafana will also host Angola in a friendly at Cape Town Stadium on
June 16.
Fiston Abdul Razak
has confirmed his transfer to Mamelodi Sundowns. The Burundian striker
penned a three-year contract after a transfer fee in the region of R3-million
was agreed with his club Sofapaka. The contract also states that Sofapaka will
earn 20 percent should Sundowns sell him to another team. Razak has now
confirmed the signing, posting pictures of him in the Sundowns jersey on his
Facebook page.
Former Kaizer Chiefs
coach Stuart Baxter is on the verge of signing a one-year deal with Turkish
team Genclerbirligi. The Englishman left Naturena at the end of three
successful seasons, and is now set to continue his career in Europe. “I wasn’t
planning to dive straight back in to work, but thought that a one-year contract
allows me to work and also decide what the next step for me will be,” Baxter
said.
Former Orlando
Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain Thabo Mngomeni believes that the Under-23
rule currently used in the National First Division does not aid development and
should be scrapped. The rule, which states that five players under the age
of 23 must start a match, has come in for criticism, with Jomo Sono the latest
to have a go. And Mngomeni, who started his professional career with Cape Town
Spurs and made his name at Umtata Bush Bucks, shares that view. “This rule of
forcing First Division clubs to start with five Under-23 players is not good
for both the clubs and the players. Now we are in a situation where you have
clubs using players who are not ready to play at that level and they want to
call that development. It is not development. Overseas teams have better
development structures because they have been doing that for many years. By the
time their players reach the age of 23 they are ready, but here our development
is at that level. We should do away with that rule.”
The Carling Black
Label Cup will be played on August 1 following a clash of schedule with the CAF
Confederation Cup. The match was originally pencilled in for July 25 at FNB
Stadium, but Orlando Pirates’ qualification for the group stages means that
will have to be moved as they have a fixture on that date. The Carling Black
Label Cup was originally set to be moved to July 18, but both Pirates and
Kaizer Chiefs have since confirmed their participation in the King’s Cup
tournament in Swaziland on that day. With the weekends of July 10-12 and August
7-9 also seeing CAF fixtures played, it leaves only August 1 for the pre-season
match to be played.
While Mandla Masango
won’t comment on a possible move to Mpumalanga Black Aces, Safa seem to think
the deal has been completed. The midfielder will leave Kaizer Chiefs when
his contract runs out later this month, having rejected the club’s new offer,
and it has been reported that he will make the move to Aces to link up with Muhsin
Ertugral. While there has been no confirmation from either side, Safa seem to
have some inside info, having put Masango’s club down as MP Black Aces in the
latest Bafana Bafana squad. Interestingly, on the press release sent out to the
media, the 25-year-old has no club down, but on the SAFA website it says Aces. Masango
though, won’t comment on the speculation, telling KickOff.com: “I don’t
want to say anything regarding my future plans.”
Orlando Pirates have learnt the identity of their opponents
for the CAF Confederation Cup group stages. The Buccaneers reached
Group B after a 6-1 aggregate hammering of AS Kaloum on Saturday afternoon, and
will be joined in the four-ball by AC Leopards, CS Sfaxien and Zamalek. Congolese
side Leopards eliminated Nigeria’s Warri Wolves 4-3 on aggregate, having lost
the first leg 3-1. Sfaxien from Morocco
beat Ivory Coast’s ASEC 3-1, while Egyptian powerhouses Zamalek edged DR Congo
side Sanga Balende 3-2. Group A will consist of Esperance (Tunisia), Stade
Malien (Mali), Al Ahly (Egypt) and ES Sahel (Tunisia).
Moroka Swallows
striker Vuyisile Wana has suggested he may join Bloemfontein Celtic next
season. Wana revealed that he is unwilling to go down to the National First
Division with Swallows, and that he could reunite with Celtic chairman Max
Tshabalala. The pair once worked together at Roses United. “I don’t want
to go down to the NFD, that’s not an option,” says Wana, who is in the
Bafana Bafana squad to face Gambia in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on
Saturday. “Rumour is that Celtic are interested in me because Max
Tshabalala was my chairman at Roses United. But I will decide about my future
after Bafana Bafana games. I’m still waiting for my agent.”
SuperSport United
teenager Zama Rambuwane is determined to make an impact on trial at Belgian
giants Club Brugge. Rambuwane, who competed for SuperSport in the
MultiChoice Diski Challenge this past season, recently played two matches
against English outfit Liverpool and Jupiler League side Genk. And the 17-year-old
midfielder feels he gave a good account of himself. “I am really happy with how
I expressed myself in the two games I played,” Rambuwane told his club’s
website. “It’s every players dream at the SuperSport academy to play abroad and
follow in the footsteps of players like [Kamohelo] Mokotjo and I am no
different. For me to achieve that goal I first need to show here that I am
ready to go to Europe. You cannot go to Europe if you are not an important
player here, if you are not one of the best in the team. This is what I say to
myself. If I prove this, for sure, opportunities like these will arrive.”
Milano United have
accepted an offer from Polokwane City for Nazier Jacobs. The 24-year-old
midfielder, who previously played for Cape Town All Stars, will now enter talks
with Rise and Shine that could see him playing in the top-flight next season.
Former Fifa Executive Committee member Charles Blazer has
confirmed to a US federal judge that he and others took bribes from South
Africa for the hosting of the 2010 World Cup. Prosecutors on
Wednesday revealed a 20-page transcript from November 2013, in which Blazer
stated that he had taken bribes from 2004 right up to 2011. Blazer, who served
on the Fifa executive commitee as well as General Secretary of Concacaf,
admitted to accepting bribes specifically for the hosting rights of the 1998
World Cup hosting right in France as well as hosting rights for the 2010 World
Cup in South Africa. “From 1997 through 2013, I served as a Fifa executive
committee member. One of my responsibilities in that role was participating in
the selection of the host countries for the World Cup. I also served as General
Secretary of Concacaf from 1990 through December of 2011, and was responsible
for, among other things, participating in the negotiations for sponsorship and
media rights. During my association with Fifa and Concacaf, among other things,
I and others agreed that I or a co-conspirator would commit at least two acts
of racketeering activity. Among other things, I agreed with other persons in or
around 1992 to facilitate the acceptance of a bribe in conjunction with the
selection of the host nation for the 1998 World Cup. Beginning in or about 1993
and continuing through the early 2000s, I and others agreed to accept bribes
and kickbacks in conjunction with the broadcast and other rights to the 1996,
‘1998, 2000, 2002, and 2003 Gold Cups. Beginning in or around 2004 and
continuing through 2011, I and others on the Fifa executive committee agreed to
accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host
nation for the 2010 World Cup. Among other things, my actions described above
had common participants and results.” Also in the transcript, Blazer continued:
“Between April of 2004 and May 2011, I and others who were fiduciaries to
both Fifa and Concacaf, in contravention of our duties, I and others, while
acting in our official capacities, agreed to participate in a scheme to defraud
Fifa and Concacaf of the right to honest services by taking undisclosed bribes.
I and others agreed to use e-mail, telephone, and a wire transfer into and out
of the United States in furtherance of the scheme. Funds procured through these
improper payments passed through JFK Airport in the form of a cheque.”
Orlando Pirates have beaten Kaizer
Chiefs to the pre-contract signing of Soweto-born striker Moses Mukasi. Mukasi,
who has been described as the hottest property coming out of Soweto, is set to
join Pirates when he returns for pre-season training before the end of this
month. ‘Jomo’, as the 20-year-old is affectionately known, is currently on the
books of SAB League side Dube Continental. “It’s a done deal. Mukasi is an
Orlando Pirates player now,” says a source at Parktown. “Chiefs were interested but I believe the
boy opted to play for Pirates,” he adds.
Bidvest Wits
midfielder Erwin Isaacs’ proposed permanent move to Ajax Cape Town is off after
the Urban Warriors dropped their interest. Ajax have decided against taking
up the option of buying him outright despite a productive loan spell at the
club during the second half of the season. Wits have also confirmed that the
duo of Ryan Chapman and Denver Mukamba will be returning following respective
loan spells at SuperSport United and University of Pretoria. S’boniso Gumede
has returned from a loan spell at Mpumalanga Black Aces while Kees Kwakman has
returned home to Holland, where he will re-join FC Volendam on a three-year
contract. The club has also decided against taking up the option of a further
year on Mthokozisi Msomi’s contract.
Mpumalanga Black Aces
have confirmed their technical team that will assist new head coach Muhsin Ertugral
next season. Patrick Mabedi has been hired as an assistant coach, having
previously played under Ertugral at Kaizer Chiefs. Graham Oosthuis has been
appointed team manager, joining the side after a 10-year spell with University
of Pretoria. Calvin Marlin, who retired after the past season, will now coach
the goalkeepers at AmaZayoni. Meanwhile, Lombi Mabusela will remain in charge
of the MultiChoice Diski League side (reserve team), while Elsa Storm
(conditioning coach), Adolf Msiza (masseur), Sholem Lange (physiotherapist),
Ishmael `Sonnyboy` Tshabalala (kit manager), Billy Mabatha and David Marota
(drivers) and Taki Sanzo (security) will also continue in their roles.
Golden Arrows coach
Shaun Bartlett believes the best two teams from the NFD were rewarded with
promotion to the PSL. Arrows were automatically elevated after claiming league
honours, with runners-up Jomo Cosmos following them into the topflight after winning
the Promotion Play-Offs last Wednesday night. “Yeah I think they did. I
think it has been proven as we were the two teams that were top of the league
for most of the season and they were the one that were pushing us all the way
for the first spot,” Bartlett said. “For the last few games, we were
more consistent and they got a couple of bad results but they were the most
difficult team in the NFD that we encountered the whole season.” Bartlett
believes Cosmos can preserve their PSL status next term if they keep the core
of their squad, including influential attackers Charlton Mashumba and Brice
Aka. Mashumba, though, looks certain to leave Ezenkosi amid strong interest in
his services. “This is a sort of different Cosmos; they are very physical
and the same with the strikers. Also with Aka and Mashumba, those guys are
scoring goals. They will once again be a difficult team to come up against in
the PSL. To ‘Bra J’ [Jomo Sono], it must be a big relief after a few years away
from the PSL and to be back and I think it is well deserved as he has been
working towards it for quite a few years. I think he was going for the
automatic promotion in the PSL but once he didn’t get it, you could see that he
was still striving to get that promotion.” Meanwhile, Bartlett declined to
comment on his future, with the club yet to disclose whether they will retain
the former Bafana Bafana striker for next season.
A letter has emerged
indicating SAFA president Danny Jordaan was involved in the $10-million payment
to Concacaf that US prosecutors allege was a South African government bribe to
secure hosting rights for the 2010 World Cup. According to the Mail &
Guardian, Jordaan, who headed the country’s World Cup bid, wrote to Fifa
general secretary Jerome Valcke on December 10, 2007 regarding the payment of
$10m to the 2010 Fifa World Cup Diaspora Legacy Programme. The letter describes
how the government intended to pay the money, with Jordaan suggesting Fifa
deduct the amount from the 2010 LOC’s future operational budget and deal
directly with the Diaspora Legacy support programme. Then-Minister of Foreign
Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Deputy Minister of Finance Jabu Moleketi
are also mentioned in the letter in connection with the money. Sports Minister
Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday again denied the $10m was a bribe, saying the
payment was above board. Jordaan’s letter predates the one that surfaced
earlier in the week, involving then-SAFA president Molefi Oliphant. Oliphant
wrote to Valcke requesting that then-CFU boss Jack Warner be tasked with
managing the Diaspora Legacy Programme. Warner is among several current and
former high-ranking Fifa officials that have been indicted on charges of
corruption.
A former Egyptian
minister claims former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner asked for $7-million to
secure seven votes for their 2010 World Cup Bid. Warner – the ex-Concacaf
president who pocketed the $10-million the South African Government paid for
the African Diaspora Legacy Programme – has recently promised to expose rampant
bribery within Fifa after being arrested as part of the US investigation into
FIFA corruption. Now Egypt’s former minister of youth and sports Aley Eddine
Helal says Warner offered the country the chance to buy votes in 2004, but they
declined. “Warner was the one who approached us from Fifa. He said he
could guarantee us seven votes,” Helal said. “He asked for one
$1-million for each vote. Egyptian FA president at the time, Youssef
el-Dahshori, added: “We didn’t pay any bribes. That was one of the reasons
why we didn’t get any votes.” Warner allegedly double-crossed Morocco,
from whom he reportedly accepted a bribe of $1-million, as South Africa won the
Bid with 14 votes to Morocco’s 10. Egypt received no votes. The British press
has also reported that Morocco actually won the 2010 Bid but the results were
falsified, citing secret video recordings of then-Fifa executive committee
member Ismail Bhamjee allegedly talking to an undercover reporter.
SA players abroad
round-up: Siyanda Xulu’s exit from Rostov has been all but confirmed after he
was left out of the club’s two relegation play-off fixtures. Xulu has
endured a troubled stay in Russia, with speculative reports linking the
23-year-old with a return to Mamelodi Sundowns or a move to PSL champions
Kaizer Chiefs. The Bafana Bafana international was once again a spectator this
past week as Rostov defeated second-tier Tosno 5-1 on aggregate to retain their
topflight status.
LEBOGANG PHIRI – Phiri’s season is also at an end as Brondby
lost 1-0 to Esbjerg in their final league game having already secured third.
RICARDO NUNES – Nunes closed his season in Poland by playing
for Pogoń Szczecin in their 2-1 loss to Slask Wrocław. Nunes’ side finished
last in the eight-team championship playoffs.
AYANDA NKILI – Orebro’s Nkili came off midway through the
second half of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Halmstad in the
Swedish league.
SURPRISE RALANI – Ralani played the full 90 minutes for
Danish second-tier side Lyngby as they closed their season with a 1-1 draw at
Viborg. They finished third, not good enough for promotion.
TIYA SHIPALANE – Shipalane
played for Carolina Railhawks as they drew 1-1 at home with Minnesota United.