The President of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Dr Danny Jordaan says there are no issues with clubs as the U17 squad heads to the Africa Cup of Nations but questioned the FIFA Calendar not favouring African countries.
In the build-up to the final 21-man squad announced by Duncan Crowie on Tuesday afternoon at SAFA House, the inclusion of Siyabonga Mabena was hotly discussed.
This is due to Mamelodi Sundowns stating his development was best served remaining with them and playing with the first team and subsequently offering to release him before the end of the camp.
However, SAFA wanted Mabena part of the training camp. Sanity, did, however, prevail as the 16-year-old arrived on Sunday and was named in the final squad which has brought optimism after his standout showing at the U17 COSAFA Cup in Malawi last year.
“I think every player selected and announced is here and they are going to leave, so there are no questions about players not being here and not released,” Jordaan said about the issue that surfaced in the media last week.
“They are going and they are going to participate as a team, identified and selected by the coach and they are all here, so there’s no issue.”
While he played down the personal issues within the national teams and Premier Soccer League clubs – he stated that, in general, African teams have a major disadvantage which puts pressure on the association to try and have as much time as possible to prepare squads for major games and tournaments.
“The question of club vs country is an issue that relates to the international match calendar, we have made certain submissions on the international match calendar,” Jordaan added.
“It was finalised a month ago – going forward and the unfortunate thing, it’s more or less the same match calendar of the last five years, and our operation is clear that calendar as constructed, does not favour African teams, it favours Europe.
“You have eight days to play two matches, day one for African teams is travel, on that day one two hours later; all selected European teams are training already with their squads, while African players are at airports.
“So we’re clear the calendars internationally is not in the interest of African teams, you can’t play two matches in eight days and then take the last match for example, Liberia, all our players came on day two – of the eight days, six days left.
“On day training, Liberia match, next day rest, next day travel, they came to Liberia on day seven, the must play because the next day they have to be back at their club – it’s not s satisfactory arrangement but we have to sit with this four another four or five years.”
