'Shabba' will not just walk into Bafana‚ says Morgan Gould
Bafana Bafana and SuperSport United centreback Morgan Gould said the recalled Siphiwe Tshabalala will have to work his socks off to earn his place in the national team’s starting line-up.
The versatile Kaizer Chiefs midfielder earned his first national team call up in three years on the back of consistent performances for his club.
Having trodden the same path after a similar hiatus‚ Gould said the experience of a player like his former Chiefs teammate Tshabalala is a necessity ahead of a crucial set of qualifiers like the must-win ones Bafana have against Senegal next month.
“We know how coaches relate to youngsters but when a coach relates to a senior player and the effect trickles down to the youngsters‚ it makes things easier and I’ve seen this in the national team camp.
“We just need to work hard to make sure we play and if we do get selected‚ we need to make sure we do that with pride and honour.”
Bafana need six points from their two home and away qualifiers against Senegal in Polokwane and Dakar to ensure they qualify for a World Cup for the first time in 15 years‚ other than as hosts.
The hunger and energy displayed in the 3-1 win against Burkina Faso has to be replicated over two matches.
That will ask serious questions of SA’s consistency and willingness to fight‚ especially after their double reverses against Cape Verde.
There’s also the significant matter of the national team’s inability to hold onto leads when travelling‚ which was the case in last year’s 1-1 against Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou and the 2-1 loss to Cape Verde in Praia.
Gould said Bafana will have to fight hard to ensure they book their flight to Russia.
“We have to be as hungry as ever. When you don’t have food on your table‚ you have to go out there and hustle‚” he said.
“You have to make sure the next plate of food you’re going to get is right in front of you and you can’t allow someone to take your plate of food.
“We have to go out there with the hunger and determination knowing that nothing but a positive result will do for us.”