Orlando Pirates' Thulani Hlatshwayo Speaks on Losing Bafana Bafana Captaincy
- Orlando Pirates defender Thulani Hlatshwayo says his mediocre display with the club has forced him to lose his place in the Bafana Bafana squad
- Hlatshwayo is a notable absentee in the Bafana team that was announced by coach Hugo Broos to face Uganda this week
- The big Soweto-born defender aims to come back stronger and possibly regain his place in the national side next season
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Orlando Pirates defender Thulani Hlatshwayo says he understands why he is no longer the captain of Bafana Bafana. Hlatshwayo says he didn’t do well for Pirates in his first campaign and he needs to refresh during the off-season.
The former Bidvest Wits defender is no longer the national team skipper just after the appointment of coach Hugo Broos.
SowetanLIVE reports that the Soweto-born player Hlatshwayo had a terrible 2020/21 season with the Buccaneers and the centre-back admits his mediocre performances resulted in him being left out of the squad, which will be facing Uganda in an international friendly at Orlando Stadium on Thursday.
Source: Instagram
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'Tyson’ says he will focus on coming back stronger in the upcoming campaign.
“Obviously, it was my first season at Pirates and I know I performed badly. As it’s the off season now, it’s for me to go and make sure I come back stronger. I need to come back stronger, that’s the only option for me.
“The national team is our team; everyone can be a national team player. It’s not Tyson’s team and for you to be called up, you need to do well at club level first and I haven’t been doing. Probably this [Bafana exclusion] is a wake-up call for me to work harder to be called up again.’’
Goal reported that Broos has drafted new faces into the squad that has been hit by Covid-19 and injuries, forcing the coach to make adjustments to the squad.
DStv Premiership Defender of the Season Njabulo Ngcobo has been rewarded for a sterling season after he was roped into the Bafana squad, replacing injured Mamelodi Sundowns’ Mosa Lebusa.
SAFA not prepared to block Stuart Baxter
In other sports reports, Briefly News reported that the South African Football Association said will not stop DStv Premiership side Kaizer Chiefs from hiring coach Stuart Baxter. Baxter has been heavily linked with a possible return to Naturena to replace Gavin Hunt, who was sacked more than a week ago.
The former Bafana manager’s name has been bandied about as the favourite to lead the Soweto giants next season.
According to TimesLIVE, the Mzansi football governing body is not against the English man’s return to the local top flight.
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Source: Briefly News
