Baxter sees talent from Amajita at U-20 World Cup‚ but says he won't rush them into Bafana

27 May 2017 - 15:31 By Marc Strydom
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Newly appointed Bafana Bafana head coach Stuart Baxter during the South African Men's national squad announcement at SAFA House on May 25, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Newly appointed Bafana Bafana head coach Stuart Baxter during the South African Men's national squad announcement at SAFA House on May 25, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Stuart Baxter believes there are some “interesting” players the country has seen playing for Amajita at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup‚ but says he will not rush U-20 players into Bafana Bafana.

The new Bafana coach said he does not view losing against Japan (2-1) and Italy (2-0) as a disaster from South Africa’s U-20s in South Korea.

“I think that the junior national teams have started on that developmental journey. And I think we have seen some great shoots coming through. But I think it is early‚” Baxter said this week.

“To reach a World Cup is not bad. And I think a lot for the players will benefit greatly from being there.

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“I think there are some great players‚ and there are some interesting players.

“To get from where they are now to the senior national team is a big journey in anybody’s book.

“I had the England U-20s. There are some of those who are not even playing – they didn’t even make Bradford City‚ let alone the senior national team.

“I think now‚ if we do our job properly‚ we build that bridge for them. So that every young South African sees clearly‚ ‘Where do I go after that’.

“We’ve got to capture those players‚ give them a reason to dream‚ and hopefully we can help them.”

Baxter said Amajita had shown that there are players who are future senior team material by reaching the U-20 World Cup.

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“I don’t think it’s a disaster that we lose to a Japan and an Italy. I think there are some interesting players who are going to come out of there.

“Just as an example‚ I watched England smash Argentina 3-0. I read an Argentinean news report that Newell Old Boys had pulled five players‚ and the Argentina coach said‚ ‘That’s OK – I’ll just get my development programme into five new players’.

“I looked at Argentina‚ and I looked at England. England were boring‚ they did everything right to win the game‚ got a lucky penalty and won 3-0.

“And you think‚ ‘England are doing well‚ their development programme must be working’. But I couldn’t see one England player that I thought‚ ‘That’s a super talent’. I saw four or five Argentineans who I did.

“And hopefully that’s what’s going to happen with South Africa. Japan beat us‚ but I want to look at the South Africans and think‚ ‘He’s going to be a player’.”

Baxter was speaking as he announced his first Bafana squad on Thursday for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria in Uyo on June 10.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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