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Johannesburg - Carlos Alberto Parreira has admitted there is "no chance" of key midfielder Steven Pienaar - and other overseas-based players of his ilk - being released by their clubs for the series of pre-World Cup camps in Brazil, Germany and finally South Africa.
And with this admission, the value of Parreira's master plan is increasingly coming into question - with what is likely to be only half of South Africa's projected line-up for the opening World Cup game against Mexico on June 11 present at the camps.
Players who could be affected in this respect include Pienaar, Benni McCarthy, Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena,Tsepo Masilela, Bryce Moon, Macbeth Sibaya, Bernard Parker, Nasief Morris, Anele Ngconga, Elrio van Heerden and Rowen Fernandez.
Despite this, Parreira has confirmed he intends making what could be termed "a mission impossible" after the present camp of local-based players in Durban to persuade European clubs to adopt a sympathetic approach to Bafana's World Cup plans and ambitions.
But the Bafana coach has admitted he has no chance of success in the case of Pienaar - who on current form has assumed the pivotal role in South Africa's World Cup line-up.
And with McCarthy - another of Parreira's favourite South African players - belatedly showing a degree of improved form and fitness, Blackburn Rovers will almost certainly hold onto Bafana's top scorer until their sanctioned release by FIFA in mid-May.
Parreira, no doubt, will argue that local-based Bafana players will benefit considerably from their experience in Brazil and Germany, which will include a series of training games against top clubs.
And who can argue that half a loaf of bread is not indeed better than none at all?
