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Igesund: SA can conquer Africa

Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund believes that, with enough national support from the fans, Bafana can go on to win the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa in January.

"I think at the moment there is a great vibe in the country regarding our national team." Igesund told the SAFA website.

"I know when this national team goes into the field and there are 60 000 people blowing their vuvuzelas, truly supporting the players and getting behind the team, we will be very difficult to beat.

"If the boys continue with their positive attitude, we really can go places including conquering Africa of course." he added.

The national coach said he was encouraged by the cooperation given to him by the South African Football Association (SAFA) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) who were working together to make sure South Africa has a successful national side.

Igesund said the two friendly matches against Brazil and Mozambique had given him an ideal foundation on which to build a successful national team.

He said he would continue to monitor all eligible Bafana players plying their trade overseas but insisted that the bulk of the national team players should be drawn from the domestic leagues.

"There are plenty of players across the world who qualify to play for South Africa. I still believe, though, that a good chunk of players in the national team should come from South Africa.

"It is important to understand that not all players who play overseas qualify (material wise) to play for Bafana.

"We have our own top players plying their trade locally and only if the overseas player is better than what we have at home, will he be called up." he said.

On whether he would continue to rotate his goalkeepers, Igesund said much as he was spoilt for choice, he was not one who believed in the rotation system.

He also sang the praises of his two assistants Thomas Madigage and Serame Letsoaka.

"I think Tommy (Thomas Madigage) and Serame (Letsoaka) are both excellent individuals and our working relationship and understanding could not be better. There is no doubt in my mind that together we can make Bafana a force to be reckoned with."

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