Lance Davids on Bafana Bafana AFCON squad: It wasn’t chosen on merit

Davids, now a leading football agent and based in Belgium, has reacted with surprise to the omission of a few players he feels could have offered valuable options in Group E, which includes Tunisia, Mali, and Namibia. 

READ: Hugo Broos: Bafana Bafana group have an opportunity of a lifetime

Speaking to SABC Sport, Davids goes into detail about the team that was trimmed from an initial 50-man list to 23 players, with three more on standby.

"As an ex-Bafana player, you always routing for them, but, in my opinion, I don't think it's the best team," said Davids. 

"Of course, I'm going to be cheering for them a lot, and hoping for the best, but I just think... And it always happens, in my days, I always used to say, 'We can be a fantastic nation, but we need to be really [shrewd with selections].

"I'm really surprised [with this squad] because this coach really goes on merit, but on this selection he didn't pick players that have been doing the business, to be honest."

RECAP: Full 23-man Bafana squad for 2023 AFCON

Davids, who amassed 23 international caps and featured at the 2006 AFCON, 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, and 2010 World Cup, adds his biggest concern is the absence of DStv Premiership top goal scorer Khanyisa Mayo.

With Lebo Mothiba and Lyle Foster already ruled out, the 38-year-old feels Broos should have made room for a clinical finisher. 

"With the 50-man squad, I thought he really went into depth, in my opinion. I think he took the broader picture, but I think he missed out – I would say – four to five players that I think he could have added to that squad," he continued.

"And if you look now, I won't say it's a problem for him now because of the rules, he cannot call players that he never chose [in the total 26-man squad – including standby players].

"For example, if he loses two strikers, he can't call up players that have been scoring for their clubs. If Coach Bruce will look back, he might say, 'Oh, I think, of course I made a little bit of a [blunder] there.'

"But, of course, he will not say that because it would not be a good reflection on himself, so I think there he lost out on a lot of good players that I think he could have still hand-picked to represent the country in his final 23 or 27 that he chose."

The proof will be in the pudding once Bafana’s campaign gets underway with their opening fixture against Mali on 16 January in Korhogo.

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