Bafana Bafana party animals in for a surprise when they arrive in camp

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has a surprise in store for the wayward players who partied up a storm after the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat to Cape Verde in Durban last month.

The players started to arrive in camp in dribs and drabs on Sunday afternoon ahead of Saturday’s must-win qualifier against Burkina Faso and Baxter said he would hand them a new code of conduct‚ warning the party animals in the squad to remain professional at all times when they are in camp.

‘‘There’s a complete new code of conduct and the players will receive that‚” Baxter said on Monday.

‘‘It is not completely new to them but it will be a much more extensive one and there will be a presentation named ‘The 24 hour professional’.

‘‘It is basically reminding people that we are 24 hour professionals nowadays.

‘‘When I played in England we were two hour professionals. We came‚ we trained‚ we worked really hard and then everybody went to the pub.

‘‘That is when your professionalism stopped.

"It has become 24 hours now because the demands on our jobs are so much heavy that if you are not 24 hours professionally‚ you just cannot keep up with the rigors of the modern game.

‘‘Or you underachieve.”

Bafana lost 2-1 to Cape Verde in Praia on September 1‚ and 2-1 in Durban in unexpected defeats that left SA’s chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup hanging by the thinnest of threads.

It emerged after the poor results that a group of Bafana players partied late into the night.

‘‘I think the 24 hour professional is a good way of labeling what we want from our South African players‚ both national and international‚” the Briton said.

Bafana’s slim chances of qualifying for the global showpiece in Russia will officially come to an end if Baxter’s charges are not able to get the better of unbeaten group leaders Burkina Faso at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Baxter has to also deal with a myriad of injury concerns that are giving the Briton plenty to think about ahead of the crunch encounter.

Andile Jali dislocated his shoulder while playing for his Belgium club KV Oostende at the weekend and is doubtful for the match.

Bradley Grobler has a groin issue but Baxter is confident that he will be able to play in the game.

Itumeleng Khune is expected to captain Bafana in the absence of the injured Thulani Hlatshwayo‚ but the Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper also has injury concerns.

‘‘Itu (Khune) will be captain (on Saturday) if he is fit‚” Baxter said.

‘‘But I will make reservations there because we have got a list (of injuries). So yeah‚ we hope it’s Itu.

‘‘Itu‚ to a lesser extent‚ has also got a shoulder injury.

‘‘But that one we can manage‚ I think.”

Hlatshwayo’s place will be taken by Cape Town City’s Robyn Johannes.

Mamelodi Sundowns centre-back Motjeka Madisha will replace Chiefs defender Eric Mathoho‚ who have been handed a two-match suspension by Fifa.

 — TimesLIVE