Perhaps Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos had been spoilt for choice or had been tossing and turning at night as he concluded with the decision to leave Tapelo Xoki out of his Africa Cup of Nations squad.
In some fairness - and hindsight - to the Belgian mentor, the options presented were still of high quality and had been on the national-team radar before the tournament proper in Ivory Coast between January and February.
Also, had it not been for SAFA skimping on costs, the Orlando Pirates skipper would have been one of the additional four permitted by CAF to be included in the national team after the Covid pandemic created room for more players.
However, Xoki could only be on standby and never got to travel to the continental competition that ended with South Africa coming home with a bronze medal. That must have hurt.
Bu hikaye Soccer Club dergisinin May 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Soccer Club dergisinin May 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
WORLD CUP DREAM BURNS BRIGHT
Neil Tovey Former Bafana Bafana captain
CONTINENTAL QUEENS
AS BANYANA BANYANA WAIT TO DEFEND THEIR TITLE AT THE WOMEN'S AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS, WE LOOK BACK AT THEIR PAST PERFORMANCES IN THE COMPETITION
TABLE TOPPERS
THE TOP 10 IN THE ALL-TIME PSL TABLE SINCE THE START OF THE 1996/97 SEASON MAKES FOR INTERESTING READING
WHO ARE BAYER LEVERKUSEN?
'Invincible' Bayer Leverkusen swept to a maiden German Bundesliga title in 2023/24. But who are they?
SET-PIECE SECRET
THE THROW-IN MAY SEEM A MUNDANE PART OF FOOTBALL, BUT THERE IS MUCH MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE
PSL SHARPSHOOTERS
AS THE NEW 2024/25 SEASON BEGINS, BOTH BRADLEY GROBLER AND PETER SHALULILE CAN TAKE AIM AT THE PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE'S GOALSCORING RECORD AS WE RUN DOWN THE TOP MARKSMEN SINCE 1996
BALANCING THE BOOKS
CAPE TOWN CITY HAVE TO FOREVER SELL PLAYERS TO BREAK EVEN. HERE ARE 11 TOP STARS THEY HAVE ALLOWED TO LEAVE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS
INTO THE BIG TIME
CLINTON LARSEN HAS LED LITTLE KNOWN LIMPOPO CLUB MAGESI FC TO THE ELITE LEAGUE OF SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL
REDEMPTION
THEMBINKOSI LORCH FACES ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SEASONS IN HIS CAREER IN 2024/25
AFRICA'S PIONEERS
AFRICA'S INFLUENCE ON ELITE EUROPEAN FOOTBALL IS NOT A NEW THING