Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Mandla Masango says he would not be surprised if Hugo Broos’ AFCON starting XI features as many as ten Mamelodi Sundowns’ players.
Masango, who played for Bafana at the 2015 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea won a total of 13 caps for the national team, said the winning mentality coming out of the Sundown’s camp, and the fact that the players know each other well, could give them the edge when it comes to making the composition of the starting line-up.
There are a total of ten Sundowns players in the Bafana squad, Ronwen Williams, Grant Kekana, Terrence Mashego, Aubrey Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau, Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena, Thapelo Maseko and Thapelo Morena and Masango said they all may start.
Speaking to TimesLive he said: “When it comes to deciding the line-up, it is entirely up to the coach, but I guess if the Sundowns players are fit and ready to play, there will be nothing wrong with playing all of them at the same time.
“They know each other because they have played together for a long time, they are doing well for their club and they have that winning mentality, which they will bring to the national team.
“The coach has assembled a good squad that will benefit from the experience of the Sundowns players participating in the CAF Champions League and winning the inaugural AFL.
“Sundowns is a team that compete to win in all the matches they play in, and they will bring that mentality to the national team.
“There are also experienced players from other teams like Thabang Monare of Orlando Pirates and a few others who will add value,” he said.
Asked how he thought South Africa would fare at the tournament that starts in Ivory Coast on 13 January, Masango said he thought Broos’ charges had a reasonable chance.
“We have a good chance of doing well in the tournament, I know it won’t be easy, but we just need to encourage the boys to go out there and try to emulate the class of 1996,” he said.
