Ifomu kaMaela kubukeka izomgcina kwiBafana
INDLELA ifomu ka-Innocent Maela elokhu inyuka ngayo ebuholini bukaMilutin “Micho” Sredojevic, kwi-Orlando Pirates, kubukeka kungasezinsuku zatshwala ukuthi agcine eyithathile indawo eyayibanjwa umnewabo uTsepo Masilela kwiBafana Bafana.
Lo mdlali ogijima ngakwesokunxele emuva uqokwe njengomdlali wosuku ovelele iPirates idla iFree State Stars ngo 2-1 ngempelasonto emdlalweni we-Absa Premiership. La maphuzu amathathu asize iPirates yazinza esicongweni seligi.
Ekhuluma kwithelevishini uMaela uthe umklomelo wakhe uwubhekisa kumfowabo ongasadlali ethi uyamkhumbula ebholeni.
USredojevic uthe indlela adlale ngayo kumele igxivize indawo yakhe eqenjini lesizwe eliya kwi-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) ezobanjelwa e-Egypt ngoJuni. KwiBafana Bafana uMaela osize iThanda Royal Zulu inqoba isicoco seligi kumasizini amabili edlule, ubanga indawo noSifiso Hlanti weBidvest Wits. “Ngithemba ukuthi indlela adlale ngayo namuhla (ngoMgqibelo) imthengele ithikithi eliya eCairo. Usanemidlalo emithathu ukuthi aqhubeke athenge amanye ukuze nakanjani abe sesikhumulweni sezindiza, agcine efikile khona (eCairo),” kusho uSredojevic ngoMaela. Eqoqweni le-Afcon iBafana iqhathwe ne-Ivory Coast, Morocco neNamibia. UMaela uthe yize libukeka linzima iqoqo kodwa ukuzimisela okukhona esikwatini sesizwe kumenza athembe ukuthi bazodlula.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi yiqoqo elinzima kodwa ukuzethemba kuphezulu eqenjini. Akekho esimesabayo futhi siyazi ukuthi ayikho into edlula ukuzilungiselela ngendlela,” kusho uMaela.
Nomqeqeshi wakhe uMicho uthe ngokwakhe iBafana ingahamba ibanga elide kwi-Afcon.
“Ngikholwa wukuthi iNingizimu Afrika iseqoqweni elidlalekayo. IMorocco ne-Ivory Coast ngamaqembu okwaziwa ukuthi ayingozi kodwa awangcono kuneBafana. INamibia izobukelwa phansi, nokho akufanele ngoba uRicardo Mannetti uyavala emuva njengoba kubonakele kwiChan nangendlela abazibekisele ngayo indawo. Kumele simeseke uStuart Baxter nethimba lakhe ngoba ngiyakholwa wukuthi iBafana ingahamba ibanga elide kunalokhu esikucabangayo,” kusho uMicho.