Komphela tells SA players to stop being ‘lazy’

Golden Arrows mentor Steve Komphela says South African players need to stop being “lazy” and fight for positions in the national team.

Komphela said national team coach Stuart Baxter should not have a headache whenever a particular player is injured, instead, he should be spoilt for choice on who to call up.

“South African players must be responsible enough to challenge for positions in the national team and make Stuart Baxter’s job easier,” said Komphela.

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“South African players must stop this thing of being lazy and having this thing that Itumeleng Khune must play. If Khune is not there, where is everybody else? If Ramahlwe Mphahlele is not there, where is everybody else?

He added: “I had a unique opportunity to represent my country as a national captain, I worked hard for my country and these kids must understand that to represent South Africa is great pride.”

The former Kaizer Chiefs coach also told his SA players at Abafana Bes’thende to challenge the regular players in Baxter’s squad, telling them to draw inspiration to the likes of Knox Mutizwa and Danny Phiri, who have helped Zimbabwe qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

“Any other player who is playing for Bafana Bafana should be challenged and I am saying to Arrows players that when Divine Lunga, Phiri and Mutizwa qualify Zimbabwe, Maximilian Mbaeva qualifies Namibia, why can’t they help Bafana qualify. When player A is injured then we have a problem of who is going to replace him.”

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