How Bartlett plans to deal with Spurs call-ups dilemma

Cape Town Spurs coach Shaun Bartlett has revealed that the club will hold a meeting on Monday to map a way forward regarding a possible SA U/23 call-ups dilemma. 

Spurs currently have five players named in the David Notoane preliminary squad for CAF U/23 Olympic qualifiers.

South Africa will take on Congo in two back-to-back qualifiers on 23 and 27 March. The first match will take place at  Dobsonville Stadium, while the return encounter will be at Massamba-Debat Stadium in Brazzaville. 

CAPE TOWN SPURS CHASING PROMOTION 

The Motsepe Foundation Championship promotion chasers are not scheduled to play a league match during that period. But they take on Pretoria Caillies four days before South Africa’s first match. They also travel to JDR Stars four days after the first match. 

But with the required training camp leading up to the matches and the well-known difficulty of travelling within the African continent, Spurs could be reluctant to let go of their starts. 

The Western Cape side are currently second on the log, two points behind log leaders Polokwane City with eight matches remaining.

SHAUN BARTLETT CONCEDE TO CALL UPS DIFFICULTIES 

“It’s going to be a difficult one. We are actually having a meeting on Monday as a club. We have to make sure that we also achieve our goal, which is automatic promotion, nothing less,” Bartlett told the media. 

“The core of our starting 11 are under 23 players, and we have five players currently in that squad.

 “So we will have a meeting and assess obviously what is best for us. How we can manage the players should they need to for  national team duty.” 

The five players in the preliminary squad are Lincoln Vyver [Goalkeeper], Wayne Dortley [ Defender], Khaya Mfecane [Defender], Ashley Cupido [Forward], and Boitumelo Radiopane [Forward]. 

The final 23-player squad will be announced by head coach David Notoane this week. 

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