Santana delays naming captain
2008-09-05 12:01
Port Elizabeth - Bafana Bafana fans will only find out on Saturday when the national side runs out at the ERPU Stadium to face old enemies Nigeria in a do or die 2010 African Nations Cup qualifier who the new Bafana captain is.
Kick-off is at 15:00.
Bafana head coach Joel Santana delayed announcing the replacement skipper for suspended Blackburn Rovers defender Aaron Mokoena against the Super Eagles after a short training session at the Nelson Mandela University campus on Friday morning.
Wet, windy and cold weather forced Santana to call off the training session after 30 minutes.
Bafana media spokesperson Sifiso Cele explained: "For technical reasons the coach decided to delay naming his captain. The coach also decided that due to the bad weather he had cancelled the training session. It was felt that it was not worth risking players getting sick 24 hours before what is one of Bafana's most important games ever.
"The coach said it was not worth the risk. We have worked hard this week in Port Elizabeth and the coach reckons we are more than ready for Nigeria."
On the captaincy Cele said: "Santana will make a decision later on Friday after meeting with the players."
Guaranteed
Bafana have seven former captains in the 23-man squad that assembled in the Windy City on Monday to prepare for what is a vital clash for Bafana. A defeat or loss would end their hopes of reaching the next phase of qualifying for the continent's showpiece in Angola.
Even if Bafana beat Nigeria and collect another three points away to Equatorial Guinea in the last match next month they are still not guaranteed to advance.
The seven players in the squad who have captained their country are Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy, two Russian based players midfielder Macbeth Sibaya and defender Matthew Booth, Orlando Pirates Teko Modise, Nasief Morris of Spanish outfit Recreativo de Huelva, Mbulelo Mabizela and Sibusiso Zuma who both play for Mamelodi Sundowns.
Modise, McCarthy, Sibaya, Morris and Booth have only been captain on one occasion while Zuma has captained his country three times and Mabizela is the most experienced captain. He has worn the captain's armband 12 times.
However, Santana hinted that Sibaya is the front runner if he plays.
- SAPA