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Branch Manager Durban

Joel Natalino Santana announces player changes

25 Mar 2009

Senior National Team Coach Joel, Natalino Santana has announced the replacement of Kagisho Dikgacoi of Lamontville Golden Arrows and Benedict McCarthy of Blackburn Rovers from the Bafana Bafana squad to play against Norway in the Nelson Mandela Challenge at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday, 28 March 2009 and against Portugal in Lausanne, Switzerland on 31 March 2009. The two players will therefore not be part of the two games. Katlego Mashego of Orlando Pirates and Katlego Mphela of Mamelodi Sundowns, have been brought in as replacements.

Team Doctor, Ephraim Nematswerani, says Dikgacoi will not recover in time to be part of the two games. With regards to McCarthy, Nematswerani says after an MRI scan, the Player's club Blackburn Rovers, found that the hamstring was normal and that the club had no objection for McCarthy to travel. “I had a telephone discussion with Benni following up on the report I had received from his club's Medical Team, but Benni insisted that he feels tremendous pain from a hamstring injury.”

Responding to a question about Benni's future in the Team for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, Coach Santana says: “We are still going to make a decision on the names to be sent to FIFA, but our selection is not based only on how good a Player is, but also on the correct attitude.”

Other Medical Updates:

Nasief Morris who suffered a knock in his right knee, has been put on a special training programme.
Steven Pienaar who complained of a lower back pain and a left mild knee sprain, has been put on a special training programme.
Tsepo Masilela who suffers from a chronic bilateral groin, is under treatment and his pain under control.
Siphiwe Tshabalala who complained of a right ankle sprain. He has been treated and cleared to continue normal training with the rest of the squad.