Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter says he will remove any player who says they are not a bench player from his Africa Cup of Nations squad list.
In the past players such as Kermit Erasmus and Thulani Serero who have voiced their opinions about either not being bench or back-up players, but Baxter has sent out a stern warning before his announcing his final 23-man team to represent the country in Egypt next month.
Baxter named a 30-man provisional squad at SAFA House in Johannesburg on Tuesday, including Erasmus and Serero in the team.
"If any of the squad that we've picked there want to tell the leadership of the national team that they are not bench players, then they will be removed from the list," Baxter said.
"I don't think that Kermit, in a sensible moment, would make that sort of comment. But I can understand when people tell him that 'you should have been in the squad'. So rather than listen to comments made by players in their disappointment, I would rather, in a calm moment, select them for the squad and in a calm moment have a discussion with them about 'I can't guarantee a place'. Benni [McCarthy, Cape Town City coach] would have to guarantee him a place and put his arm around him and make him feel some love."