Bafana duo on verge of Euro moves

Kagisho Dikgacoi and Bernard Parker could be lost to South African football this week if their overseas deals go through.

Dikgacoi, of Golden Arrows, is waiting to hear from English Premiership side Fulham if he would qualify for a work permit, while Parker, the Thanda Royal Zulu striker, will sign for Serbia's Red Star Belgrade should he pass a medical.

Mike Makaab, the man who manages both players, said yesterday the next "48-72 hours" would be crucial in deciding the destiny of the two Bafana Bafana regulars who have had sterling seasons for their clubs and country.

"I spoke to Fulham on Monday and I'm waiting for them to return to me. We should have further talks in the next two to three days," said Makaab, of ProSport International.

"What they told me was that they were investigating through their legal team whether Dikgacoi now qualifies for a work permit. If he does, they will call him up and have a look at him and take it from there."

The British Home Office requires a footballer to have played in 75 percent of his country's competitive internationals over a two-year period, which scuppered Dikgacoi's proposed move to Fulham when he had looked set to join them back in August. His situation will not be helped by Bafana's failure to qualify for the African Nations Cup, but Makaab remained hopeful that Fulham could persuade the Home Office to allow the Arrows captain to join them.

"Their rules state clearly that a player must have partaken in 75 percent of A-Grade internationals; those are World Cup and Nations Cup matches. At the time when Dikgacoi first wanted to join, he was on 60 percent. But a work permit can be granted on appeal," Makaab explained.

South Africa have played two more competitive matches since Dikgacoi's unsuccessful move - against Nigeria in September and Equatorial Guinea in October - and that the 24-year-old holding midfielder played in both should stand him in good stead.

Makaab, meanwhile, was con- fident Parker's deal with Red Star - Serbia's most popular football team - would go through before the end of the week.

"They came here in December and watched him a few times. They liked what they saw and he will not even be going there for trials," he said.

"We are expecting them to invite him for a medical once we get a deal on the table and, if he passes it, then he will go."

The news will excite both Dikgacoi and Parker (22), but their clubs are likely to suffer if they depart at a time when the Absa Premiership enters a decisive phase.

Parker's 10 goals have not only made him the league's top scorer, but have also enabled Thanda to steer clear of the relegation zone.

Dikgacoi leaving would hurt Arrows, too, as they have relied on his ball-winning and distribution skills to become unlikely title contenders this season.

The captain's departure would put into serious doubt Manqoba Mngqithi's team's championship credentials.

Arrows are currently four points off leaders Ajax Cape Town, while Thanda are wallowing in the lower mid-table obscurity.