Tshabalala hails dedication of Bafana star after AFCON snub
Siphiwe Tshabalala has spoken out to praise the dedication of a Bafana Bafana player who was omitted from the final squad for the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
South Africa’s final selection for AFCON caused some debate among fans and pundits. Coach Hugo Broos had the difficult task of reducing a 50-man preliminary squad to the final 23 players for the continental tournament.
This resulted in a mix of opinions, with some feeling certain deserving players missed out on the trip to Ivory Coast. The 1996 African champions, Bafana gave their utmost best in the tournament. They finished third and won a bronze medal before they received a heroes’ welcome upon their return last month at the OR Tambo International Airport.
One of the deserving players who did not travel to Ivory Coast is Cape Town City FC star Khanyisa Mayo. Tshabalala has showered the striker with praise for his response after he was overlooked to represent Bafana at AFCON.
After the AFCON break, Mayo has been active for CT City in front of goal, scoring three goals in five matches in all competitions. He earned a call-up back to the national teams for the international friendlies against Andorra and Algeria.
SIPHIWE TSHABALALA SHOWERS KHANYISA MAYO WITH PRAISE
“Khanyisa Mayo is a good footballer, he has got an eye for goals. I’m sure he was disappointed that he didn’t get the nod in the AFCON. But he never put his head down after that,” said Tshabalala.
“He must understand sometimes that a ‘no’ is not a rejection. If you’re a positive person you will take a ‘no’ as ‘not now’, but as ‘wait, your turn will come, keep on working hard’.
“He kept on working hard and he kept on scoring goals. An opportunity will always come; it might not come at the time that you want. I wish him well, he should just remain level headed and work very hard.
‘Shabba’ further highlighted that players’ performances at club level determine their place in the national team.
“The most important thing about cementing your place in the national team is being consistent at club level week in and week out. When you do that, it enhances your chances of playing for the national team.
“In the national team, there is limited time to prepare—three days, four days—it’s not much. If you do well at club level, you will definitely do well in the national team.”
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