Since Kaizer Chiefs have become a laughing stock for having only goalkeeper Brandon Peterson in Bafana Bafana’s 35-member preliminary squad for back-to-back Afcon qualifiers against Liberia, Amakhosi assistant coach Dillon Sheppard  has acknowledged  they must work hard to have more representatives in the national team.

Bafana will face Liberia home and away on March 24 and 28 respectively. The home leg is scheduled for Orlando Stadium at 6pm, while the second fixture kicks off at the same time at Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium in the city of Paynesville. When the provisional roster was confirmed on Tuesday, many viewed Chiefs having a single player as a sign of regression, poking fun at them. Rampaging Sundowns saw 10 of their stars getting the nod.

Sheppard has admitted they should double their efforts to have more players in the national side, reiterating their support for coach Hugo Broos.

“We’ve to work hard to improve our players... our players can be up there for selection. Yes, we will work harder to make sure that he does select our players,” Sheppard told the media at the Nedbank Cup’s conference at PSL offices in Parktown on Wednesday. 

“We are all here for the nation and it’s up to the coach to select the players he feels are going to make the nation proud. Of course as a coach, I would like to see our players in the national team but the coach has to make the selection and we’ve got to support that.”

Chiefs host second tier side Casric Stars in the Nedbank Cup last 16 clash at FNB Stadium on Sunday (6pm).