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A few young players will make the final selection of the Bafana Bafana team that will go to the Afcon tournament in Egypt.
This was an undertaking by coach Stuart Baxter when he outlined some of his plans for the June 21 to July 19 continental championships.
The 65-year-old hinted that those spots would be taken by some of the Under-23 players, meaning the likes of Teboho Mokoena (22), Phakamani Mahlambi (21), Luther Singh (21) and Lyle Foster (18) might be considered.
Under-23 head coach David Notoane has lauded the move as a step in the right direction for players to develop beyond the age-group teams.
“This is the last leg we are starting to get right because even coach Shakes Mashaba [former Bafana mentor] used to preach about this during his tenure,” said Notoane.
“Coach Baxter and I have been in discussions about the under-23 team and he held the view that whenever there is an opportunity, he’ll give young players a feel in the senior national team set-up. It is very encouraging that the senior team coach has that kind of thinking.”
With this move, Baxter aims to emulate world champions France who now thrive on young players who were previously picked to play alongside their senior peers to gain experience at a major tournament.
“When Didier Deschamps was analysing the World Cup at the Fifa conference in London [in September], he said the two full-backs were in the squad four years earlier – not as members of the squad proper, but they were taken in for development purposes,” said Baxter in reference to World Cup winning defenders Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernández, who are both 23.
“Yes, We want to do that but it’s made difficult for us because we have the SA Under-20s and the Under-23s active at the same time [prior to Afcon].
“Maybe from the Under-23s; that they arrive in camp a little bit late. We are certainly going to do that.”
The Under-23s will face Zimbabwe over two legs – on June 5 and 9 – in the third round of the 2020 Olympic qualifiers, while the Under-20s, Amajita, will be involved at the World Cup that runs in Poland from May 23 to June 15.
Added Baxter: “If I go back a year... We said we had to make changes – we had to try to rejuvenate the squad, bring down the age and make the pool wider and deeper and, at the same time, we had to qualify for Afcon. That’s not an easy background. The fact that they’ve qualified is a big credit to the boys.”
As for the type of players he will pick for the 24-nation Afcon, Baxter said they would be a team the South Africans “know pretty well”.
“The squad will probably take on the look of a larger squad that we then peg back ... We’ve got a few games left in the league and lots can happen there; injuries can take place. So it’s important that we have that long squad for eventual mishaps.”
Bafana have been drawn alongside former African champions Ivory Coast and Morocco, as well as regional rivals Namibia in Group D.
“We’ve done well to qualify but where does this position us? Can we win Afcon or is this a path for development?
“We should try to create an identity that will take us further where we want to go and use these games for what they are.
“We can concentrate on the development of the present squad and bring in a few more good youngsters. Then I think we can knock some of these guys over and that will be the results everybody wants.
“We have to concentrate on development rather than get carried way and say now we must win Afcon.”
Baxter said he would consider using the Cosafa Cup in May/June as part of the team’s build up to Egypt, as well as a pre-Afcon camp in the Middle East.
“That will be my sort of perfect preparation,” said Baxter.
South Africa will be based in Cairo and will play all their group matches at the 30 000-seater Al Salam Stadium.
