Chance for Singh to make good
Braga striker could get playing time for Bafana with right attitude – Baxter
Image: Philip Maeta/Gallo Images
Luther Singh will get a chance to redeem himself in the Cosafa Cup plate final against Botswana tomorrow, if he shows the right attitude. This is the message coach Stuart Baxter seems to be sending to the FC Braga striker.
Singh‚ promoted to Braga’s first team in Portugal last month‚ showed his undoubted class with well-timed runs to get into scoring positions in Bafana’s penalties quarterfinal defeat against Madagascar on Sunday‚ but spurned good chances.
Then he took a far-too-casual decisive penalty in the shootout that was saved‚ handing Madagascar a 4-3 victory.
The Braga striker did not get a run in South Africa’s 4-1 plate semifinal win against Namibia on Tuesday night.
“Look‚ this camp is not about allowing people one game and then throwing them on the scrapheap,” Baxter said on Singh’s chances of an opportunity to redeem himself against Botswana.
“But this camp is definitely about learning lessons.
“It’s about the lessons‚ gaining momentum and experience playing at a higher tempo against Namibia than you do against an average team. “So you learn things. “You learn how to shift the ball. ‘Maka’ [Fortune Makaringe]‚ for Namibia’s goal‚ tried to control a ball where he was under pressure‚ where we should have gone bap‚ bap and got out of the pressure.
“And he learnt a lesson‚ and he knows it. So if Luther learns his lesson‚ yes‚ he’ll get another chance.”
Bafana meet Botswana‚ 2-0 winners against Swaziland in their semifinal‚ in the plate final at the Peter Mokaba Stadium tomorrow.
Having persuaded Joel Untersee to play for Bafana‚ Baxter has turned to three potential national team players based in England and they have all expressed an interest in representing South Africa.
Swiss junior international Untersee is due in South Africa in the coming weeks to sort out the paperwork to acquire his citizenship and the Juventus player could appear for Bafana for the first time in the African Nations Cup qualifier against Libya in September.
Baxter has met with Preston North End attacking midfielder Tom Barkhuizen‚ Crystal Palace defender Nikola Tavares and Southampton winger Siph Mdlalose.
The latter has already appeared in junior national team squads‚ but the 19-year-old would also be available for England.
