As Bafana Bafana Coach Stuart Baxter will name his final 23-man squad for Afcon on Sunday, one player who’s name certainly would not be there is Rivaldo Coetzee.
Baxter says Coetzee was given permission to miss the start of Bafana’s camp at the top of the week citing he needed to go home to be with his critically ill mother.
Baxter insists Coetzee’s disappointing failure to be in communication for three days has now made him ‘unselectable’, ruling him out of the African Cup Nations Cup (Afcon).
Though he gave a good account of himself when he returned to action for The Brazillians this season following a lengthy time sidelined by a career-threatening injury, Coetzee’s inclusion in Baxter’s provisional squad set tongues wagging.
Baxter says regardless of Coetzee’s limited game time, his selection was youth-driven.
Coetzee’s Sundowns teammate Phakamani Mahlambi was ejected from the Cosafa Cup due to personal problems and Baxter was reluctant to draw a comparison to Coetzee’s situation.
Though they are yet to get a venue, Bafana will play an 11 versus 11 friendly game on Saturday and Baxter says he will give everyone a chance to prove themselves one last time.
Bafana leave for Dubai on Monday and will play a friendly game with Ghana on the 15th of June before descending back to the continent for the Afcon in Egypt.
Baxter, who says he’s having migraines as to who he will drop off the squad come Sunday, insists he will only consider including players currently doing duty in the Cosafa Cup in Durban if injuries arise in his team. – Report by Tumi Gabonamong
