Bafana Bafana midfielder Aubrey Modiba has urged for more junior national team players to be included in the senior setup and also commented on his prolonged absence.
Modiba was included in coach Molefi Ntseki's squad to do duty in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan this week following a protracted wait.
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The 24-year-old has been a peripheral figure at Bafana, having last featured in the 2019 AFCON qualifier against Libya in March this year, though he did not make it off the bench, and was snubbed for the tournament finals in Egypt in June.
But having enjoyed an impressive start for SuperSport United this season, he finally cracked the nod for the first time since Ntseki took charge and is merely delighted to be back.
"I wouldn't say [missing AFCON] was a setback because I think it made me stronger as a player. You know, when you don't get a call up, you can't just look down," Modiba commented.
"It made me want to continue working hard for my club and it's nice to be back again. A call-up is a call-up, and I'm just happy to be back and it shows my efforts were recognised by the coach."
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'Postman' is amongst five players who featured at the 2016 Rio Olympics under Owen Da Gama and Ntseki, and he has urged for more of such youth graduation to take place going forward.
Check out the above gallery to be reminded of the five players who were at the Rio Olympic games in 2016...
"I think it's good for the country to have players coming from the junior ranks and graduating into Bafana Bafana," he added.
"It's nice to see those players doing well for the nation, because I think the youth is good for the setup especially if they've been in the junior ranks for a long time.
"It also feels good as a player to be progressing as well, so I just hope to see many more players making it to this level as well."
Bafana face Ghana at the Cape Coast Stadium on Thursday (21h00) before hosting Sudan at Orlando Stadium on Sunday (15h00).
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