Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane says "it is no big deal" that Aaron Mokoena was left on the bench on Wednesday night against Kenya.
South Africa won 2-0 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, but for the second match in a row, there was no place in the team for the skipper.
The Portsmouth defender and the nation's most-capped player was left out of the encounter against the USA in November last year and despite making the trip from England to face Kenya, he was benched.
Mosimane said: "I'm not sure why this is a big deal. In my opinion I don't think this is a big issue that Aaron was on the bench on Wednesday.
"I just don't get it. Aaron is the captain and he's got about 107 caps. He has earned those caps, but we need to create competition in central defence."
Mosimane further said Mokoena has his full support and insisted 'Mbazo' still forms part of the bigger picture.
"I recalled him to the squad in 2007 when I was the interim coach after he had some issues and he didn't go to Egypt (for the 2006 AFCON). I supported him and you all know that.
"Aaron is still in our plans and he is still the captain of the team. It is just that he hasn't played in the last two games. He was on the bench and there is nothing wrong with that. It is okay."
Meanwhile, the former SuperSport United coach feels Bafana will have to play better to beat Egypt in next month's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
"It is encouraging because it is a good win, but obviously there is some room for improvement because we had lots of chances in the box and we didn't take them all.
"We will need more than this against Egypt, because it won't be the same game.
"But I'm encouraged because there is a lot of good in our game, some good combinations, but we will need more than this against Egypt," Mosimane concluded.
South Africa won 2-0 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, but for the second match in a row, there was no place in the team for the skipper.
The Portsmouth defender and the nation's most-capped player was left out of the encounter against the USA in November last year and despite making the trip from England to face Kenya, he was benched.
Mosimane said: "I'm not sure why this is a big deal. In my opinion I don't think this is a big issue that Aaron was on the bench on Wednesday.
"I just don't get it. Aaron is the captain and he's got about 107 caps. He has earned those caps, but we need to create competition in central defence."
Mosimane further said Mokoena has his full support and insisted 'Mbazo' still forms part of the bigger picture.
"I recalled him to the squad in 2007 when I was the interim coach after he had some issues and he didn't go to Egypt (for the 2006 AFCON). I supported him and you all know that.
"Aaron is still in our plans and he is still the captain of the team. It is just that he hasn't played in the last two games. He was on the bench and there is nothing wrong with that. It is okay."
Meanwhile, the former SuperSport United coach feels Bafana will have to play better to beat Egypt in next month's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
"It is encouraging because it is a good win, but obviously there is some room for improvement because we had lots of chances in the box and we didn't take them all.
"We will need more than this against Egypt, because it won't be the same game.
"But I'm encouraged because there is a lot of good in our game, some good combinations, but we will need more than this against Egypt," Mosimane concluded.
