Nomvete the back in the Bafana fold

| Friday April 9, 2010 00:00

In naming his 25-man squad Parreira underlined the fact he is struggling with strikers by also including Orlando Pirates striker off-form Katlego Mashego for the trip to Germany.

Parreira dropped six players from the 29 that did duty in the month long Brazil camp which ended last weekend. They are SuperSport United's Daine Klate, Pirates Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Holland based Kermit Erasmus, Ajax Cape Town youngster Thulani Serero, Bloemfontein Celtic's Tlou Segolela and Golden Arrows Richard Henyekane. Parreira denied he was under pressure to select Nomvethe who can double up as a striker after he had a couple of decent matches for the Birds in February and March. However, selecting Mashego is difficult to understand as the striker has had by his own high standards a poor season with Bucs and to underline that point he was replaced in the second half of Monday's Telkom Knockout semifinal against Kaizer Chiefs in Durban.

Chiefs beat their Soweto arch rivals 3-0 on penalties after neither side managed a goal after extra time.

Nomvethe, who turns 33 in December, is a popular choice with the public. However, after 72 caps and 15 goals many believe Nomvethe is a spent force.

Nomvethe last played for Bafana in the 1-0 loss to Bolivia at Ellis Park in 2007 when Parreira first took change of the national team.

But Parreira defended his selection of both players.

'I am not looking for new faces at this stage (with the World Cup two months away), ' he said.

' I brought both players back because they have experience of having played for Bafana and with over 70 caps Nomvethe can be useful.

'We are only half ready for the World Cup. We are not fit enough yet. That is why these camps are important to the players.

To me the fitness levels need to be higher and will be by June. That will be key for Bafana at the World Cup. Fitness will get us through the first round,' said Parreira. The fact that the SA Football Association missed the boat and failed to secure top countries for friendly matches before the World Cup was a disappointment to Parreira. Safa CEO Leslie Sedibe said he still hoped to secure a friendly against Argentina but Bafana would play China on April 28 in Germany and Denmark at home in June.

'We are working hard to get Argentina, Bolovia, Chile and other South American countries to play us before the World Cup,' said Sedibe.

Apart from China, Bafana will play friendly matches against three Bundesliga sides in Germany on April 20, 22 and 24.

The squad:Goalkeepers: Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Shu-Aib Walters (Maritzburg United).

Defenders: Matthew Booth, Siboniso Gaxa, Siyanda Xulu, Innocent Mdledle (all Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport), Thabo Nthethe (Bloemfontein Celtic), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Pirates).

Midfielders: Franklyn Cale, Surprise Moriri, Lebohang Mokoena (all Sundowns), Daylon Claasen (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland), Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Andile Jali, Teko Modise (both Pirates), Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows), Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala (both Chiefs).

Strikers: Gert Schalkwyk, Katlego Mashego (all Pirates), Katlego Mphela (Sundowns) and Siyabonga Nomvethe (Moroka Swallows).