• Tweet

TOO VALUABLE: Belgian side Lokeren playmaker Ayanda Patosi will miss Bafana's game against Malawi.Photo: Gallo Images

RELATED ARTICLES

• The lowdown on Bafana's injured stars
• Pirates draw bead on Comoros side
• Patosi in squad to face Malawi
• Patosi and Meyiwa named in Bafana squad
• SA duo in 4-3 thriller
• Where to next for Benni McCarthy?
• Xulu's Rostov caught napping
• Norway to bring untested squad to SA

Patosi received a first international call-up for the game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on December 22 after a fine season in Belgium, where he has emerged as a genuine star of the league.

But such is his importance to his club that Lokeren say they will not release him for the game as they face Darren Keet's Kortrijk on December 21.

Lokeren also have a league match against Cercle Brugge on December 26, their last before the winter break, meaning the earliest he could likely link up with the Bafana squad is on December 28.

"We will not allow him to go, he is too important for our team," said Lokeren sporting director Willy Reynders. "We need Patosi against Kortrijk."

Lokeren are under no obligation to release Patosi as the match against Malawi falls outside of the Fifa match calendar.

Teams are only required to release players two weeks before the start of major continental championships, meaning January 5 for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

It is a blow for the player, who is trying to convince national team coach Gordon Igesund that he deserves a place in his Nations Cup squad.

As Igesund is due to announce his final selection for the tournament on December 30, that would give him two days in camp at best.

Patosi has scored six goals in 19 starts for Lokeren this season, including a wonder-strike that went viral and brought him to the attention of the world.

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Tue May 21 13:42:00 SAST 2013 ::

Dec 13, 2012

Iphone5

Hade boy , I wanted to see u playing le Thulani Serero , otherwise all the best for your next game , hope you will make it to the national team for AFCON..
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

MJOKA

xhosas are everywhere and they are dominating in soccer in Europe
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

SetlaboswanaBoy07

Kaizer Chiefs should do the same.
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

imbabazane

MJOKA
xhosas are everywhere and they are dominating in soccer in Europe

-------------------------------------------------

Hehehehe, okay. Now, ask your Xhosas to get their house in order in the EC, its a shame that such a big province does not have a psl team.
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

MJOKA

imbabazane
MJOKA
xhosas are everywhere and they are dominating in soccer in Europe

-------------------------------------------------

Hehehehe, okay. Now, ask your Xhosas to get their house in order in the EC, its a shame that such a big province does not have a psl team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

in South Africa we don't care about soccer as xhosas, soccer is for those illitrate boys from soweto, our focus is to rule our country that is why we dominating SA politics yava ke...
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

madimetsha

but I thout the CEO was excited just yesterday...
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

Nwanawamukalaha

Fair enough considering that the Malawi game is just a friendly game - bread and butter duty calls Patosi.
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

ONEE

@ imbabazane

I am a proud Xhosa but i second u, our province is a disgrace to think of people who emerge from that province yet we are the worst illgoverned province.
Shameless people chow state money without fear.

u wonder what do they do with their budgets every year
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

Papage

I don't blame them, AFCON has lost its value due to greedy of the Officials, how long is the President going to stay there? he is old, how much money do the winner gets after winning the compedition? less than what PSL Q1 pays?
Report Abuse

Dec 13, 2012

GOALMOUTH

@ Mjoka

Y must u spoil our blogg with politics. Stop this xenophobic tendency and grow up. If EC was so important y does ANC not hold its conference there instead of Mangaung. Y is GP carrying 12 million people majority been frm EC and u never hear Sowetans talk kak? Y r u even in the Sowetan Blogg for sowetans instead of some paper from EC? STOP IT XENO!!!!!!!!!!

Until Rodants feel Orlando Stadium.
Report Abuse

Read all 15 comments