Durban City player says club reputation is no longer a barrier to national call-up

Bafana Bafana midfielder Brooklyn Poggenpoel is convinced it’s a myth that you have to play for one of the PSL’s big three — Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs — to get a chance to be in the national team.

“I think everybody has got a fair chance in the league,” the Durban City player told Sowetan. ”The coach has given debuts to so many players in the last camp, so I don’t think it’s which club you play for [that determines a Bafana call-up]. It’s just about performances at club level because everybody gets a fair look.”

The 27-year-old made his Bafana debut in the team’s 5-0 win over Eritrea in an Afcon qualifier in Cairo late in September, coming off the bench to replace injured Bathusi Aubaas.

“It is an honour and privilege to be representing your country.” — Brooklyn Poggenpoel

That Bafana debut came while Poggenpoel was mourning the passing of his maternal grandfather, who was laid to rest in Cape Town on the same day Bafana thumped Eritrea.

The midfielder has since revealed that he had to put Bafana first. “It is an honour and privilege to be representing your country. Everything happening in your personal life — you just have to put it aside. You are not representing yourself but your nation. You just have to put your best foot forward,” he said.

After beating Guinea and Eritrea in the last Fifa break, Bafana remain top of Group D of the Afcon qualifiers. SA hope to maintain their top spot when they face Benni McCarthy’s Kenya in back-to-back Group D fixtures, with the first game billed for Orlando Stadium on Friday, while the second is in Nairobi four days later. Both games kick off at 6pm.

“Everyone wanted a strong start to the group stages, especially at home,” Poggenpoel said. “To get the win away [in Cairo against Eritrea] was another positive. So now it is about securing three points at home and following it up with a good result away so we can go into the next break with good form, good rhythm and at the top of the group.”