LUNGILE MAJOKA noMBONGISENI BUTHELEZI
U MA ubusazibuza uziphendula ukuthi umqeqeshi weBafana Bafana u-Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba ukuzwile yini ukukhala kwesizwe ngemuva kokuphuma ekuseni ku-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) ngoJanuwari, kufanele ukube impendulo uzoyithola eqenjini alimemezele izolo elizodlala eyobungani neNigeria neSwaziland.
IBafana izodlala neSwaziland ngoMashi 25 eSomhlolo Stadium eMbabane ngo-7 ebusuku. NgoMashi 29 idlala neNigeria eMbombela Stadium eNelspruit ngo-3 ntambama.
Ngemuva kokuhluleka wukufaka iBafana emzuliswaneni wesibili ku-Afcon uMashaba wagxekwa kakhulu ngokungahambi nesikwati esiqinile, esolwa ngokushiya unozinti weKaizer Chiefs, u-Itumeleng Khune, abaningi abambona njengohamba phambili eNingizimu Afrika.
UMashaba wabuya wakhonjwa ngenjumbane ngesinqumo sokushiya abadlali abagijima kumaligi ase-Europe, uThulani Serero odlala ku-Ajax Amsterdam, uKamohelo Mokotjo odlala kuFC Twente okungamaqembu ase-Netherlands, Ayanda Patosi odlala kuLokeren eBelgium noMay Mahlangu odlala kuKonyaspor FC eTurkey.
Yize uKhune ebeseluleme ngesikhathi kuyiwa ku-Afcon kodwa ubengadlali njengoba bekusavimba uBrilliant Khuzwayo kuChiefs.
Izolo ememezela isikwati uMashaba ubabize bonke laba badlali okufakazele isethembiso esenziwa umengameli wenhlangano eyengamele ibhola kuleli, iSafa, uDanny Jordaan, owakuveza ukuthi bazimisele ngokubuyisana nalaba badlali.
USerero wazidalela isigcwagcwa kuMashaba ngokuhluleka wukuza ekhempini yeBafana ngoDisemba ekubeni iqembu lakhe lalimkhululile kodwa lo mdlali wakhetha ukuziphumulela kubo. UMahlangu yena wamiswa eqenjini lesizwe ngemuva kokuthi engafikanga ebiziwe kuzodlalwa eyokuhlungela i-Afcon neSudan neNigeria nyakenye, wakhala ngokukhathala. UMokotjo wamsola ngokuthi ukhuluphele. UPatosi yena ebizwa okokuqala ngaphansi kukaMashaba, waphuthwa yibhanoyi kwaze kwaba kabili.
UMashaba uma ebuzwa ngala badlali ubengaphumeli obala ngesizathu sokubashiya ngesikhathi kuyiwa ku-Afcon ngaphandle kokuqhakambisa ukubaluleka kokuthanda izwe lakho, athi ngokwakhe ngezinye zezinto ezimqoka azibhekayo uma eqoka abadlali. Ubekusho nokuthi “Uma usenepasi laseNingizimu Afrika indawo iyohlale ikhona ekutheni umele iqembu lesizwe”.
Izolo uMashaba uphikile ukuthi uphoqiwe ukufaka laba badlali ‘abebedingisiwe’.
“Izinto ezithinta iqembu lesizwe sizidingida nabanye abaqeqeshi. Angiphoqwanga ukubuyisa abadlali,” kusho uMashaba.
Nokho uzwakalise ukuthi uma abadlali abadlala phesheya bephinde begoloza ukuza ekhempini yeBafana noma benza ukuthanda kwabo kumele kube khona okwenziwayo.
“Umphakathi waseNingizimu Afrika kufanele usho ukuthi kwenziwe njani uma laba badlali bephinda bengezi ekhempini yeBafana. Nokho ngiyethemba ukuthi bazosabela njengoba sebebiziwe,” kuchaza uMashaba.
Mayelana nabadlali abasha abayisithupha abafakile eqenjini lakhe uthe: “Uma umdlali esebenza kanzima uyalithola ithuba.”
Kulaba badlali kukhona uDaniel Cardos (Free State Stars), Siphelele Ntshangase (Black Leoapads), Thapelo Morena (Bloem Celtic), Cole Alexander (Polokwane City), Lebogang Phiri (Brondby FC, Denmark), Thabo Mnyamane (University of Pretoria).
Uthe ubize u-Itumeleng Khune ngoba “ngibona sekuyisikhathi esikahle ukuthi abuyele kwelesizwe”.
Iqembu limi kanje:
Onozinti: Itumeleng Khune, Jackson Mabokgwane noBrilliant Khuzayo
Izitobha: Thabo Matlaba, Eric Mathoho, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Sibusiso Khumalo, Anele Ngcongca, Siyabonga Nhlapo, Thapelo Morena, Rivaldo Coetzee noDaniel Cardoso
Esiswini: Lebogang Phiri, Oupa Manyisa, Andile Jali, Dean Furman, Mandla Masango, Cole Alexander, Thuso Phala, Jabulani Shongwe, May Mahlangu, Thulani Serero, Ayanda Patosi Bongani Zungu noKamohelo Mokotjo
Amafolosi: Lehlohonolo Majoro, Tokelo Rantie, Siphelele Ntshangase, Sibusiso Vilakazi