We don't need Ribeiro for Bafana – Bartlett

Legendary striker Shaun Bartlett says Bafana Bafana can do without the services of Lucas Ribeiro Costa, the Mamelodi Sundowns striker who last week expressed a desire to represent SA instead of his native Brazil, who have yet to cap him.

Ribeiro – who joined Sundowns last season – will only qualify for naturalisation in three years’ time, provided he’s deemed an exceptional talent beneficial to the country. The process could be fast-tracked, a home affairs insider told Sowetan.

“The process is after five years of staying in the country, you apply for permanent residency. Thereafter, you can apply for citizenship by naturalisation. But there are exceptions whereby if your skill is deemed too important to the country, motivation can be sent to the minister and president to accommodate such an individual,” said the official who requested anonymity because they are not mandated to speak on the topic.

Ribeiro, 26, has been in exceptional form since he arrived in the country last year and was named player of the month for the Betway Premiership yesterday. But Bartlett – who is second in the Bafana all-time scorers’ list – is not convinced SA needs the Brazilian.

“I don’t think we need him to play for us,” Bartlett told Sowetan at the Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational in Sun City at the weekend. “We must believe in our own. We must go to the right places to find players who can represent us. I have no issue with foreign players because I was one myself, but we have to do better than we are in terms of identifying the right talent.”

Bartlett, meanwhile, praised Hugo Broos for getting it right with Bafana, who are on the verge of qualifying for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, needing to win just one of their remaining two games against Uganda away this weekend and South Sudan in Cape Town next week.

“He’s got team selection and tactics spot-on,” said Bartlett of Broos. “He’s unbeaten (at home) and his style doesn’t change, whether we play home or away. Players are more confident and that’s a good thing.”

Broos last week dropped vice skipper Percy Tau, citing lack of game-time at Egypt’s Al Ahly. “That was a brave but right decision,” Bartlett agreed. “Game-time is important and Tau surely will get a wake-up call to consider leaving Ahly. We have big tournaments coming up and you need players who are playing regularly.”

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