EXCLUSIVE: The former Manchester United midfielder is
concerned about the lack of Bafana Bafana players playing outside their
home country and bemoaned the absence of the Ajax star
South Africa will not be contenders at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations due to the absence of Thulani Serero and a lack of European experience, says former Bafana Bafana star Quinton Fortune.
Eighteen members of Ephraim Mashaba’s 23-man squad are between the age of 24 and 27 but only five of those players play their club football in Europe.
That is a far cry from the 2000 squad Fortune was part of, which placed third and featured the likes of Leeds defender Lucas Radebe and Marseille’s Pierre Issa as well as the former Manchester United midfielder.
“There's a lot of things we still need to change, and I keep saying we need more of our young players to play in Europe,” Fortune told Goal.
“At the time where we were at our best we had a lot of players playing in Europe. The likes of Benni McCarthy, Shaun Bartlett, Lucas Radebe – they all gained experience in Europe’s top leagues and that helped our national team.
“We only have a handful of players playing in Europe now. They’re not ready yet to win the Africa Cup of Nations.”
Aside from the aforementioned quintet - which comprises of three players in the Belgian top flight and two more playing below the English top tier - Mashaba has picked players entirely from the South African league.
He dropped Ajax star Serero after he missed a pre-tournament training camp, and Fortune is concerned African players are increasingly prioritising their club careers over their national teams.
“Our league in South Africa unfortunately is not anywhere near to the standard in Europe,” added Fortune.
“Serero is our best player and he’s not there. It happens all the time, players protecting their club careers when the Nations Cup comes around.
“It will continue to happen unless Caf [the Confederation of African Football] move the tournament to the European summer.
“There’s absolutely no reason why they couldn’t do it – talk of weather problems is nonsense – but I don’t expect to see it happen. They’re too stubborn.”
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