My passion for Bafana is gone, says Josephs
Moeneeb Josephs has ruled himself out of contention for a place in the Bafana squad to take on Cameroon in the 2017 Afcon qualifiers.
|||Johannesburg - Moeneeb Josephs has ruled himself out of contention for a place in the Bafana Bafana squad to take on Cameroon in back-to-back 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.
Shakes Mashaba,who will announce the squad next Thursday, is in something of a goalkeeping crisis with Itumeleng Khune injured and Jackson Mabokgwane having spent more time on the bench watching Shu-Aib Walters than on the field. The logical replacement would be the 35-year-old Josephs who has kept the most clean sheets in the Absa Premiership.
But the man who announced his international retirement in 2012 because of playing second fiddle to Khune, only to be persuaded by Gordon Igesund to return for the 2014 African Championship of Nations (Chan), has shut the door on ever returning to Bafana Bafana.
“My passion is gone for the national team,” Josephs said. “I had my fare share of struggles there. You know me I am passionate person. I’m about emotions and I put my heart in what I do. If that’s gone, then it’s gone. I have no interest (in playing for Bafana Bafana). The passion has gone. I was there, I loved it. Now I want to dedicate my time into my team because that’s where I am still hungry and passionate.” Josephs’ absence is just one of the many things that Mashaba will deal with. Sibusiso Vilakazi and Bongani Zungu are other Bafana Bafana regulars who are also out injured.
The mentor will also have to hold thumbs that the Bidvest Wits, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns players he selects will come back without any knocks from their away leg trips in the CAF competitions they’re involved in. Those matches will be on the weekend of 18-20 March while Bafana Bafana assemble on March 20, before travelling to Limbe where they will take on Cameroon six days later. Durban will host the return leg on March 29 in what has been a bad start for Bafana Bafana who have picked up just one point in their opening two matches. Josephs “retires”
confident that he has seen keepers who can take over the baton. “There are too many young goalkeepers that are available for the national team,” Josephs said.
“I got my opportunity to play for them at the age of 23. I think that was late for a goalkeeper. We have 18-19 yearolds who should be thrown in so that by the time they reach 23, they’re seasoned professionals in the national team. Why must I, as anold machine, stand in their way? There is quality. Let’s not be fooled there. If we have a plan for 2020, don’t be pushing for the old heads that you aren’t going to use them. Give the boys, the Jody February’s, Brandon Peterson and Ronwen Williams a chance. Just throw them there. Then people will see that you’re building for 2020.”
Wits have offered comfort to Josephs who was heavily criticised in his last match for Bafana Bafana when they bowed out of CHAN in the group stage on home soil in 2014. Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula singled him out in his rant where he called the team “a bunch of losers”.
Now, Josephs is focusing on helping Wits win their first trophy since 2010 when they host Bloemfontein Celtic tomorrow in the Nedbank Cup last 32. “You have to have balls to be a goalkeeper. Criticism comes with the territory. You can’t be a sissy,” Josephs said.
The Star