Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi is not concerned by the absence of defender Grant Kekana from the Bafana Bafana squad.
Kekana was among big names who did not make it into the Bafana Bafana team for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Uganda and South Sudan this month despite his previous involvement.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said Kekana was dropped not for bad form but the plenty of options he had at his disposal in central defence and his Sundowns coach does not see any issue with that.
“Grant is not injured, probably the coach just decided [to leave him out],” Mngqithi told iDiski Times.
How does Mngqithi feel over Kekana’s snub?
“Even in the previous FIFA break, before the last one, he was out and [Siyabonga] Ngezana was in the team, and this time Ngezana was out and he brought Grant in and he played well.
“I do believe we should give the coach the freedom to choose his team the way he wants it in that space.”
While explaining Kekana’s absence, Broos said he had to make some tough decisions between him and Ngezana, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Rushwin Dortley and Mothobi Mvala who made it to the final squad.
“It was a matter of choice; that is why I had to leave him out. It was a tough decision that I had to make,” said Bross.
Tough choices in central defence for Broos
“The question you must always ask yourself is if I take Mvala, am I supposed to leave out Ngezana, [Rushwin] Dortley, or [Nkosinathi] Sibisi? It was a difficult choice to make, and as a coach, that is your job.
“You must make the tough choices, and they are not always nice — not only for me but for the player. So, this is just a choice that I made, and I hope it was the right choice.”
Kekana has been in the squad in all the four AFCON 2025 qualifiers that South Africa have played and featured in the double header against Congo in October, playing 90 minutes in both matches.
