Notoane hopes a few of his players board the plane to Egypt with Bafana
South Africa Under-23 coach David Notoane says he will report back to Bafana Bafana’s Stuart Baxter after Friday’s COSAFA Cup Plate Final against Malawi and hopes that a few of his players might be included in the final Africa Cup of Nations squad to be announced on Sunday.
Baxter has told the squad that he will be watching for them in the hope that some will put their hands up and demand closer inspection before the final Afcon squad is named‚ eager to take some younger players for the experience.
Two obvious individuals who have done just that are SuperSport United midfielder Teboho Mokoena and Sporting Braga forward Luther Singh‚ who have both put in eye-catching performances in the Cosafa Cup but face heavy competition for places.
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“Coach Stuart is watching our games and has been with us in camp previously‚” Notoane said.
“We haven’t engaged yet as to who [might be in the mix]‚ it is completely up to him to make a call in term of who he might want.
“He will have had his own targets [to look out for] coming into Cosafa and he will have looked at them and their performances‚ so let’s hope there is a surprise or two.”
Notoane admits much may depend on injuries and form in the Bafana camp in Johannesburg.
“I don’t know what is happening in the Bafana camp‚ it may be that he does not take anyone [from the under-23s].
"We always left that window of opportunity open‚ but I have also cautioned the boys to not get too excited about that aspect lest nothing happens.
“It can knock a player’s confidence going forward.
"But I think the performances in this tournament speak for themselves.”
If South Africa do beat Malawi at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday they will retain the Plate trophy they won last year by beating Botswana 3-0 in the decider in Polokwane.