Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has explained why he is impressed with Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Siyanda Ndlovu, comparing the youngster to Thapelo Maseko and revealing the type of winger he prefers in his team.

Ndlovu, who is 22 years old, has received his first senior national team call-up after producing encouraging performances since joining Sundowns this season. The attacker was initially left out of the preliminary Bafana Bafana squad but was later included in the final selection for the upcoming back-to-back 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya.

His inclusion comes after a good run of performances at club level, with Mosimane taking particular notice of his contribution in attacking areas. The coach revealed that Ndlovu had collected two Man of the Match awards in his last four appearances while also scoring goals and providing assists.

Mosimane believes the youngster has the qualities he wants from a winger, particularly his direct approach when attacking opposition defenders. He compared Ndlovu to Maseko, explaining that both players have a similar approach to the game.

The Bafana coach said he prefers wingers who are decisive when they receive the ball. Rather than spending too much time turning and moving around without making progress, he wants attackers who can take opponents on, move inside, run behind defenders and deliver dangerous balls into the penalty area.

Mosimane explained that attacking players must understand their responsibility to contribute towards goals. In his view, providing assists is important, but wingers must also be capable of finding the back of the net themselves.

He described Ndlovu as a player with intensity and a direct style, although he admitted that the youngster still needs to be assessed at international level.

Mosimane pointed out that performing well for a club does not automatically mean a player will deliver the same performances for the national team. He wants to see how Ndlovu handles the demands of international football and whether he can adapt to the team's playing system.

The coach also explained that Maseko's injury has made it important to identify additional options in the attacking positions. He believes Bafana Bafana need a bigger group of players who can be trusted when opportunities arise.

Mosimane further discussed the difficulty of assessing new players because of the limited number of opportunities to organise friendly matches before the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

He explained that, unlike the Springboks under Rassie Erasmus, who have opportunities to play international tours against countries such as England and Australia, Bafana Bafana must work within the international calendar provided by FIFA.

As a result, he believes bringing in players who are performing well at club level is one of the best ways to assess their abilities. Training with the national team allows the technical staff to observe them closely and understand whether they can fit into the squad.

However, Mosimane was careful to explain that receiving a call-up does not guarantee that a player will feature in the upcoming matches. Instead, it is an opportunity for Ndlovu to learn, demonstrate his qualities and convince the technical team that he deserves further opportunities.

For the Sundowns youngster, the Kenya qualifiers could therefore represent an important step in his international career as he looks to establish himself among the players being considered for future Bafana Bafana selections.

Source: IDiskiTimes