Chiefs goalie Bafana back-up
Baxter insists Amakhosi goalie is one for future
Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma is not likely to feature for Bafana Bafana in the crunch African Nations Cup qualifier against Libya on March 24 but his inclusion in coach Stuart Baxter’s squad was enough to elicit mixed reaction on Monday.
Baxter said he included Bvuma in his squad as cover for Darren Keet and Ronwen Williams‚ who will fight for the number one jersey‚ and the Chiefs goalie will travel to Tunisia with Bafana as third choice in the pecking order.
But some have questioned the 23-year-old’s inclusion as Bvuma has hardly featured at Chiefs with Virgil Vries and Daniel Akpeyi being preferred ahead of him after a shoulder injury ruled regular number one Itumeleng Khune out for the remainder of the season in January.
Baxter was prepared for the inevitable interrogation around the keeper’s selection and he offered an explanation before he was asked on Monday.
‘‘This selection of the camp is probably the most difficult I have ever had to make‚” he said.
‘‘The goalkeeper [question] has been one that we have thrown around in every direction.
‘‘So when we talk about the third goalkeeper in this camp‚ and I think that everybody knows that Ronwen Williams and Darren Keep will be the two goalkeepers and one of those will play‚ the third goalkeeper in the camp has a specific role.
‘‘And that specific role is to be there and to be available‚ and be able to jump in if he is needed.
‘‘Probably he will not be competing for one of those two starting places. So this is a third goalkeeper and we do not want to experiment.
‘‘But we want to gain as much as we can for both the development of the game and the development of the player.
‘‘Without the player on board we can’t do the job. Now the third choice we have made is Bruce Bvuma. The reasons for that I have considered from every angle and Bruce was in our system.
‘‘Bruce came with us to the Cosafa Cup [last year]. He was thrown into the deep end against Botswana and he did fantastically well.”
Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp gave Bvuma a run in a league match against Maritzburg United on Saturday and Baxter and the members of his technical team were on hand to watch him play.
Middendorp conceded that he gave him an opportunity to play as the club have a tricky Nedbank Cup quarterfinal against Cape Town Cup and with Akpeyi cup-tied‚ Chiefs needed to give him game time.
‘‘In his club he has also been pushed in a situation where it’s maybe not been an easy situation for him at short notice‚” sid Baxter. ‘‘Again‚ he looked rock solid when we watched him‚ myself‚ [assistant coach] Molefi [Ntseki] and [goalkeeper coach] Alex [Heredia] at the weekend. Now I think that for both the game‚ the squad and for the development of the player‚ this is a situation we needed to consider carefully.”
Bafana must either beat or draw with Libya in the massive final qualifier if they are to secure a ticket to the continental showpiece in June.
Baxter’s charges are in second place in Group E with nine points‚ behind leaders Nigeria‚ who have already qualified.
Again, he looked rock solid when we watched him
Stuart Baxter
BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Darren Keet‚ Ronwen Williams‚ Bruce Bvuma
Defenders: Thulani Hlatshwayo‚ Innocent Maela‚ Sifiso Hlanti‚ Daniel Cardoso‚ Rivaldo Coetzee‚ Aubrey Modiba‚ Buhle Mkwanazi‚ Thamsanqa Mkhize
Midfielders: Dean Furman‚ Kamohelo Mokotjo‚ Themba Zwane‚ Thembinkosi Lorch‚ Hlompho Kekana‚ Bongani Zungu‚ Tiyani Mabunda‚ Thulani Serero
Strikers: Keagan Dolly‚ Lebo Mothiba‚ Lebohang Maboe‚ Lars Veldwijk‚ Percy Tau.