Soccer
Saintfiet questions Lacky call up to Bafana─── 09:34 Tue, 30 Sep 2014
Free State Stars coach, Tom Saintfiet, has voiced his concern over Bafana Bafana coach, Shakes Mashaba overlooking his players, in favour of a National First Division player.
Mashaba raised eyebrows last weekend when he named 17-year-old Fargie Lackay of Santos in his squad to face Congo home and away in their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Sainfiedt told OFM Sport, firstly he doesn’t not want to interfere with the national setup, because he know what it entails coaching at international level.
“First of all, I never want to interfere with the national team coach, because I was also a national coach in five countries, he has to do his job and he is qualified for that,” the emphasised.
“On the other hand, I’m the coach of Free State Stars and I see player developing well day-by-day, playing good games and getting top results.
“Before the league, we were mentioned as one of the first relegation candidates, but now we’re sixth, one points behind Pirates and three behind Sundowns after seven matches,” he added.
He however said that he feels players such a Moeketsi Sekola deserved to be looked at due to their good form.
“We also have the top scorer in the league in Moeketsi Sikola,” Sainfiet said about this side and their performance.
“It’s only strange that the national coach never saw one of our seven matches in the stadium and calls-up NFD players.
“With all respect, but the NFD cannot be compared to the same level as the PSL,” Saintfiet said about the different leagues.
“I think some of my players deserved for all the work and the effort and the all the quality they have to be called up or at least be close to be called up,” the Belgian-born coach added.
Stars travel to Pretoria this weekend where they will face SuperSport United in the Telkom Knockout.
The last time these two sides met, the QwaQwa side came from behind to win 3-2.
Tom Saintfiet questions he players omissions from the Bafana Bafana squad:
