Pirates trio's Bafana call upsets club

Thamsanqa Gabuza. Picture credits: Orlando Pirates
Thamsanqa Gabuza. Picture credits: Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates are questioning the fairness of three of their key players travelling more than a quarter of the globe for Bafana Bafana's friendlies on the back of Bucs' trip to Egypt.

Bafana will play two friendly internationals during their tour of central America.

Pirates beat Al Ahly 4-3 in a stirring second-leg performance in Suez on Sunday to reach the CAF Confederation Cup final with a 5-3 aggregate victory.

Bucs arrived back in Johannesburg yesterday afternoon with Mpho Makola, Thamsanqa Gabuza and Thabo Matlaba set to jet out for Costa Rica today.

Bafana meet Costa Rica in the city of Liberia at 4am SA time on Friday morning.

With SA playing Honduras in San Pedro Sula at midnight on Tuesday next week, Bafana are scheduled to return next Thursday having crossed seven time zones, just a day before Pirates meet University of Pretoria in a Telkom Knockout last-16 match at Orlando Stadium.

"For the Confed semi we had to travel all the way, not just to Cairo [via Dubai], but to Suez, which was an added bus trip.

"So couldn't the national team have made an exception?" Pirates administrative officer Floyd Mbele asked.

"Especially since the next week the national team are playing a Chan [African Nations Championship] qualifier, and these players they've called up are unlikely to be part of that. Why not call some of the players who would have featured in the Chan?"

Mbele said the Buccaneers had requested their players be excused from coach Shakes Mashaba's squad for the central American tour.

"Yes, there were discussions. They've called them up in spite of the conversation," he said.

"Where do you see your relationship as a national team coach to the clubs? Because this thing is not unique - it's happened to us before."

Bafana meet Angola in a home and away 2016 Chan qualifier later this month that is not on a Fifa international date, where Mashaba is expected to call up fringe players.

South Africa face Angola again in a 2018 World Cup qualifier next month.

Bidvest Wits have the most players -four - in the Bafana squad.

Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble could not be reached for comment.

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