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Plans are in place to get Bafana Bafana players in Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates’ squads to report directly to the national team’s camp from their CAF Champions League away games on March 16.
Safa has acceded to Bafana coach Stuart Baxter’s request to get all the players to report for camp in Sfax, Tunisia, from March 17.
CAF confirmed the north African city as the venue this week, as well as March 24 as the date for South Africa’s make-or-break Afcon qualifier away to Libya.
Safa interim chief executive Russell Paul told City Press this week that players based in local clubs would leave the country on March 16, and the overseas-based group would fly directly to Tunis.
“The plan is to get most of the players to be in Tunisia from March 17,” said Paul.
“We are also finalising the logistics to get those who will be involved in CAF interclub competitions to fly directly to the camp from wherever they are.”
Mamelodi Sundowns will be in Morocco for their final group stage game against Wydad Casablanca, and Orlando Pirates will be in Conakry for their clash against AC Horoya of Guinea.
Both games are on March 16.
Sundowns and Bucs account for seven players in Bafana’s qualifier against Nigeria in November.
The Downs quartet is Themba Zwane, Hlompho Kekana, Tiyani Mabunda and Lebohang Maboe; while Bucs had Thembinkosi Lorch, Vincent Pule and Innocent Maela.
Paul said Safa was happy to get the March 24 date for the Bafana game as this would afford Baxter and the federation enough time to figure out the logistics.
Baxter was initially worried that he would have “one and a half days” to prepare the team.
His cause was aided by the PSL moving some of the Absa Premiership fixtures, which were scheduled to take place between March 15 and 17.
“In terms of preparations, what we were looking at was one and a half days if you take away travel, some people who can be late because of CAF or some people from Europe ... that was going to be one full day’s training and one prematch [training],” Baxter told the media at a breakfast early last month.
“It gives us an extra two full days to prepare. For me, it’s massive and for the boys, it’s important,” said Baxter.
Read: SA loses Afcon bid and Bafana must now earn place at Afcon 2019
He also applauded the PSL’s move and described the cooperation from the clubs as big, and that “it will be even bigger if we go there [Tunisia] and get the result that we want”.
Bafana has to avoid defeat to reach the 24-nation continental championships in Egypt, scheduled to be played from June 21 to July 19.
Baxter is expected to recall the SuperSport United duo of Dean Furman and Bradley Grobler, as well as England-based Kamohelo Mokotjo, who have all recovered from injuries and are back playing at their respective clubs.
However, there are still doubts over the fitness levels of the France-based pair of Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly.
Baxter will announce the team later this week.
The game against Libya at the Stade Taïeb Mhiri will kick off at 7pm South African time on Friday March 22.
