South Africa U20 coach Raymond Mdaka has explained the dilemma he is facing ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations set to kick off in Egypt from April 27-May 18.
Amajita are in Group A alongside Egypt, Zambia, Sierra Leone and Tanzania, but Mdaka faces the prospect of going to the tournament without his key players.
Young attacker Shandre Campbell will not be available after his club Club Brugge refused to release him, at time they are in the final weeks of the season, while there are doubts whether Orlando Pirates defender Mbekezeli Mbokani will be allowed to join the team as the Buccaneers challenge on multiple fronts.
The situation has left the tactician in a difficult place ahead of the tournament as he feels missing key players could significantly impact how they perform in Egypt.
Amajita coach sweating over key players
“These are some of the things I don’t even want to think about,” Mdaka, commenting on Campbell’s availability, said on Sports Night Amplified on Metro FM, as quoted by FARPost.
“It’s a situation that one would not expect more so because throughout, we had positive communication with the team [Club Brugge]. We felt we were going to have him [Shandre Campbell]. But it’s just something that we have to close the chapter.
“We wouldn’t [want to] say we lost [at the AFCON] because some of the players were not there. We shall have lost in the field of play.”
The tactician says his preparations are being disrupted by the uncertainty surrounding the availability of certain players although he is keeping his fingers crossed that the situation does not get worse by Monday.
Is there hope for Mdaka ahead of AFCON U20?
“It’s not something good for us, and even now, if someone were to ask me to talk about the players, I wouldn’t because we are still in a process in terms of registration,” he added.
“The only one we knew even before we released the team was Shandre [Campbell] because they [Club Brugge] had written an email. But as I speak now, I can only confirm on Monday when everyone is there to say this is where we are in terms of the players, but I am crossing my fingers.”
Mdaka named his squad a week ago but there is also doubts over whether Kaizer Chiefs’ Mfundo Vilakazi and Mamelodi Sundowns duo Asekho Tiwani and Kutlwano Lethlaku will be available given their clubs still have key league and cup commitments.
