‘NKOMISHI’, ‘SIKHALI’ IN SIHLANGU

MBABANE – It’s time to move on. That is the message new senior national football team Sihlangu coach, Kostadin Papic seems to be sending after the much-anticipated release of the new-look squad yesterday. Conspicuously absent in the list is that veterans Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze and Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko of Mbabane Swallows.

This means they are not in Papic’s plans for the national team as it prepares for the final group J match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Cup 2019 qualifiers away to Tunisia on March 23 at 7pm. Tsabedze currently stands as the longest-serving national captain. He and Nhleko are still the main pillars for Swallows.

However, Papic made it clear that the door to the national team was open to all players but he is also renowned for developing his own players and bringing the best out of them and these changes point towards that. Other omissions in the new squad include Young Buffaloes’ goalkeeper Nhlanhla Gwebu and his Swallows counterpart Sandanezwe Mathabela as well as Green Mamba’s Mthunzi ‘Xavi’ Mkhontfo while MTN Premier League current top scorer award contenders Musa Dlamini and Royal Leopard’s Lungelo Tsabedze did not make it for now.

Hope

Making it back into the squad is former Swallows’ goal-minder and now South Africa’s National First Division (NFD) League’s promotion contenders Mbombela United’s Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza, who at some point appeared to have lost hope of donning the national kit when he was excluded from the AFCON qualifiers team.

All the South Africa-based internationals are back in the squad as earlier said by Papic that he would have all of them for this week’s proposed international friendly against Mozambique and perhaps another against Zambia before they leave for Tunisia on March 20.

Along with the internationals, Papic named young Vovovo midfielder Leon Manyisa and Young Buffaloes midfield gem Lindani ‘Rio’ Matsenjwa who are products of the PLE Development Leagues and have already represented the country in the national under-17 and 20 junior squads. Other young players and new faces are Manzini Sea Birds’ duo of wingers Muzi Tsabedze and Wandile Nhleko while there is also Buffaloes’ midfielder Sandile Gamedze, Lindo Mkhonta and Manzini Wanderers’ Jose Machado to name a few.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: