Bafana Bafana
Khumalo visits Bafana camp
2012-05-23 14:15
Rustenburg -
Doctor Khumalo made an unexpected appearance at the Bafana Bafana training camp in Rustenburg on Wednesday.
Khumalo, interim coach of Kaizer Chiefs before Stuart Baxter took over the reins for next season, held talks with national coach Pitso Mosimane regarding Chiefs players turning out for the national side.
“We felt at Kaizer Chiefs we have to have a relationship between ourselves and the national team in terms of the programme for our boys,” Khumalo said.
“We had an informal meeting, myself and Pitso, regarding [Chiefs] players that have been selected for Bafana Bafana.”
Khumalo said Amakhosi players, who make up a large portion of the national squad along with Orlando Pirates, would need careful management to avoid exhaustion from a long season.
"Our season starts very early and we need to have relations in terms of how we are going to work together with the players that have been selected," he said.
“They really need the players, and we really need the players.
"If there's no relationship, the guys that are going to suffer are the players and the game itself.”
Khumalo hinted that his club would like to avoid future friction with Bafana after players had not been readily released in the past.
“It [the meeting] was overdue because if we don't have these kinds of exercises we are not helping the country at all," Khumalo said.
"We actually dig a hole for ourselves because players will be exhausted.
"They might not perform for the club and they probably won't be in good enough condition to perform for the national team.”
Earlier, Chiefs striker Lehlohonolo Majoro joined the Bafana squad in place of Eleazar Rodgers.
Majoro linked up with the squad on Wednesday after Rodgers was released for National First Division playoff duty with club side Santos.
Majoro joins the likes of Bafana veteran Siyabonga Nomvethe in order to beef up the strike force ahead of 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and Botswana in June.
Nomvethe, 34, said he was eager to return to the international stage after an absence of nearly two years.
“I have confidence on my side and I say we can do it,” Nomvethe said.
“We must not give up. We've got good, young, quality players here and they are expecting to do well too. The team will do well.”