Bafana Bafana and Bidvest Wits defender Thulani Hlatshwayo says they will have to go all out to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Gabon.
Referring to their recent Cosafa Cup meltdown, Hlatshwayo said: “That was a totally new team and most of the guys were playing with each other for the first time.
“Remember, the clubs did not want to release players, so it was pretty hard for the guys to gel in a short time.
“I was watching the games from home and the guys tried their best, it is just that results didn’t come their way. They were playing very well and creating chances, it is a pity they couldn’t convert them.”
Bafana were knocked out of the Southern Region Tournament by Botswana in the quarter-finals via penalties, before also losing out in the Plate section to Malawi in similar fashion.
The Wits skipper is part of Shakes Mashaba’s 27-men squad seeking a spot in the continental showpiece, with their first opponents being an unknown Gambia side at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium next Saturday.
“I have no clue about them (Gambia), I have never seen them play, I don’t know their players, but I’m certain the coach will sit with us during the course of the week to tell us about the opposition in order to get us ready for the game.”
The defender was part of the Bafana team that did duty at the Afcon tournament in Equatorial Guinea earlier this year, where they failed to make the knockout stages.
However, he says they didn’t come home empty-handed, as the tournament helped the team to know their strengths and weaknesses.
“That was an experience of a life-time, though we did not do well.
“I learned a lot from that (Afcon) tournament and I will be using that to help the team qualify for next year’s event.
“As national team players, we want to make the country proud and strive for success,” explained the former Ajax Cape Town player.
Hlatshwayo also refle-cted on his past season’s performance, his team fini-shing third on the standings, but having no silverware to display for their brilliant showing and being nominated for the PSL Defender of the Season award.
“This has to be one of the best PSL seasons I have had so far. Thanks to coach Gavin Hunt, who has been fantastic since I’ve started working with him.
“He is a role model and always keeps his players on their toes. I think being part of the Bafana team also played a huge role in developing my game.
“I want to continue doing well, for both club and country.
”Playing for a national team is an honour and I want to do my best so that we can be a force in the continent.”
Bafana are in Group M of the quali-fiers, along with Gambia, Mauritania and Cameroon.
Hlatshwayo is optimistic Bafana will do well in the qualifiers.
“We have the talent, the players, the coaching staff to perform at a high level.”
The Wits skipper will need to bring his stellar club season performance to help Mashaba’s team qualify for Afcon.