Carlos Alberto Parreira has hinted that he will not shuffle his Bafana pack in a friendly against Jamaica on Tuesday.
Orlando Pirates' defender Lucas Thwala could replace Tsepo Masilela at left back and German-based goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez would come in for Pirates' Moeneeb Josephs.
The change could come despite Josephs being named Man of the Match in the 0-0 draw against Japan at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth played at the weekend.
"Masilela picked up an injury against Japan while I need to have a look at Fernandez. has hinted that he will not shuffle his Bafana Bafana pack in a friendly against Jamaica on Tuesday night.
South Africa head into the match on the back of a 0-0 draw with Japan and many were expecting the Brazilian to introduce some fresh faces in Bloemfontein.
However, with Bafana looking to record their second win in ten matches against the Reggae Boyz, Parreira is steering away from altering the side's style or personnel too drastically, revealing only one or two changes will be made.
The World Cup winning coach also brushed aside talk that Bafana should easily overcome Jamaica, which is a common thought, even though Theodore Whitmore's men lie higher up in the FIFA rankings.
"In football it is so difficult to say who is strong and who is weak. If you look at half of their team plays in Europe. I think that we have to be ready to face any team," Parreira told the gathered press.
"It doesn't matter the level of the opponents. We have to play our game, so I am not considering if they are weak or stronger than the Japanese team. We will make one or two changes but not many.
"In the game we will make four changes like in the Japan game, to have a look at some new faces, but the shape will be more or less the same."
Parreira admitted that while Jamaica are not on the same level as Japan, the Reggae Boyz should not be classed as a walk in the park.
"If you look at the World Cup, Jamaica are not on the same level as the Japanese, these are the kind of games that can fool us, if you go to the ground thinking that it is going to be easy and we are going to win," he added.
"I think our attitude will be the same as the Japan game, we will play to win to bring the confidence back."
Parreira will hand Orlando Pirates defender Lucas Thwala a start after discovering left back Tsepo Masilela has picked up an injury, while German-based goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez will come in for Moeneeb Josephs.
"Masilela picked up an injury against Japan while I need to have a look at Fernandez," he said.
Meanwhile, it seems the Brazilian still needs to watch a lot more of Kermit Erasmus before throwing the young striker into international action.
"He is the youngest player in the squad. We brought him in because he has qualities, so we have to give him time and experience. The World Cup is just around the corner and we need young players, but we need experienced players as well.
"So we will see in the time we have of preparation that he can join the team in either Brazil or Germany, so that he can have some games and then we can judge it," added Parreira.
One of Bafana's biggest setbacks is their ability to create and convert clear-cut chances. The return of Benni McCarthy is meant to coincide with the flow of goals and while it didn't happen against Japan, strike partner Katlego Mphela believes the duo will dazzle against the visitors.
"What we need to understand is that Benni hasn't been playing regular football at Blackburn Rovers for a very long time, so it can't be easy for him at the moment. But I think he still did well and I believe once he is back to full fitness, we are going to form a deadly combination, which will cause havoc for a lot of teams," he told Football365.co.za.
Meanwhile, Whitmore has decided to rest his trio of English Premier League players so Stoke City's Ricardo Fuller, Ricardo Gardner of Bolton and Wigan's Marlon King sit out.
Luton Shelton, who scored seven goals in eight games during the nation's World Cup qualifying campaign, will also miss out.
Parreira may insist that it is not a forgone conclusion that Bafana will beat the Reggae Boyz, but he is aware that defeat or another goalless draw will get the masses talking again. And the start of the buzz results in the end of a tenure, which Parreira can ask his friend, Joel Santana, all about.
Post A Comment!
Be the first to post a comment on this story