Sredojevic can't decide if Mokwena's call-up to Bafana makes him happy or sad

Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic seemingly can not make up his mind if he is happy or sad that his assistant‚ Rhulani Mokwena‚ has been drafted into the Bafana Bafana technical team for next week’s four-nations tournament in Zambia.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns coaching wunderkind Mokwena was included by Bafana coach Stuart Baxter's technical team for the tour to Zambia – where South Africa meet Angola on Thursday‚ March 22‚ then one of Zimbabwe or the hosts on Sunday‚ March 25 – ostensibly as an observer.

Asked about this after Pirates were beaten 1-0 in the Nedbank Cup last-16 by Cape Town City at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday night‚ Sredojevic completely contradicted himself.

First he said the move by Baxter would be disruptive to Pirates.

“I would tell you that that call-up‚ with all due respect‚ has come in the wrong timing for us (sic)‚” Sredojevic said.

“Because (it affects) us keeping total peace and concentration‚ which we try to keep.”

Later‚ mystifyingly‚ Sredojevic changed his tune‚ saying: “We are extremely happy that coach Rhulani will be part of the (Bafana) technical team in Zambia.

“I believe that he will give a huge contribution and also he will upgrade himself in those few days.

“We also have two players (Innocent Maela and Thembinkosi Lorch) there.

"I wish all the best to Bafana Bafana. A new dawn is starting ahead of the three months of madness starting between September and December to qualify us (South Africa) for Cameroon in 2019.”

Bafana resume their Cameroon 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Libya in September.

Another Pirates player‚ in-form forward Luvuyo Memela‚ was a surprise exclusion from Baxter’s squad.

Memela failed a late fitness test and was not fielded by Pirates against City.

“We played in a friendly game on Saturday‚ because we needed to have an artificial way of keeping competitiveness‚” Sredojevic explained.

“Our opponents had a competitive way of doing that‚ playing against the team from Mozambique (City’s 1-0 away Caf Confederation Cup win against Costa Do Sol last Wednesday).

“And in that friendly Memela got a knock. We pulled him out immediately and as a result he could not pass a late fitness test.

“This game meant so much to us. But there is no game that is bigger than the career of a player.”

Second-placed Pirates meet Lamontville Golden Arrows in Saturday’s Absa Premiership matchup at Princess Magogo Stadium.

* Marc Strdom is in Cape Town as a guest of Nedbank