Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has reacted to none of his players being selected by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
When Broos announced the final Bafana squad that will face Liberia in the double header later this month, no player from Chiefs was called up for the very first time in Bafana history since the SAFA were readmitted by FIFA in 1992.
While Chiefs have no player in the squad, Sundowns have eight, while Orlando Pirates have three.
After Chiefs beat Maritzburg United 3-2 at Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday, Zwane was asked about the fact that no Glamour Boy made Broos’ final selection, and he insisted the main difference between his squad and leaders Mamelodi Sundowns is the chance conversion.
“I have always been saying this – this season, the only difference between us and teams that are doing well is not taking the chances,” said Zwane, who earned nine caps for Bafana.
“Today we took our chances, we won 3-2. Though it was not an easy game for us, we managed to score three goals which is a positive thing out of what we have been doing.
“Why are our players judged with creating chances and missing them and all of the sudden they are not good enough? So, it’s normal in football, it’s normal.
“Our players will keep on working hard, and [we] will keep on pushing them. It is not about us not doing the right things in terms of coaching them, or not them applying themselves on the field of play.
“If you can check all the teams, look at our team, the chances that we created. I was saying last week, I said go and check the stats, out of 80 percent that was created, Sundowns took 80 and we took only 20 to 30.
“It is the same number of chances created; they [Sundowns] are on 36 and we are on 32 and that is the difference.
“We did not score – unfortunately we conceded goals we shouldn’t have just like on Saturday.”
Chiefs are a club that is associated with success and history when it comes to Bafana Bafana.
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When Bafana played its first game on 7 July 1992, beating Cameroon 1–0 at Kings Park in Durban, their star player Doctor Khumalo converted the penalty.
Also during the 2010 World Cup opening match at FNB Stadium, their star player Siphiwe Tshabalala scored a cracking strike against Mexico.
Their veteran goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune, with 91 caps to his name, is a record by a goalie and second in history of Bafana behind Aaron Mokoena, who earned 105.
