Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has questions to field around bias in goalkeeper selection, after yet again leaving out arguably the best shot-stopper in the PSL based on form, Sage Stephens of Stellenbosch FC.
With Ronwen Williams not considered for selection in the upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan, Broos had to bring in a new shot-stopper into the fold.
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Perhaps not to many's surprise, the Belgian went with a popular choice of Orlando Pirates' Sipho Chaine to add to Ricardo Goss of SuperSport United and AmaZulu FC's Veli Mothwa.
However, while Chaine's side have reached the MTN8 final, Mothwa is yet to play an official game for Usuthu this season, while Goss has only featured in one game, conceding thrice against Bucs in the MTN8 quarterfinals.
In comparison, Stephens has kept four consecutive clean-sheets in the CAF Confederation Cup and MTN8, conceding only once so far, in the 3-1 MTN8 win over TS Galaxy.
The Cape Town-born star made unbelievable saves in both MTN8 semi-final legs to deny Mamelodi Sundowns, who were knocking hard on the door.
Although the Bafana squad was announced just before the semi-final second legs, has Stephens not done enough, even from last season, after the Maroons finished third in the standings and won the Carling Knockout?
"It's very difficult to be very critical of the national team coach and his group of technical people and the selectors, because they've done a wonderful job," ProSport International CEO, Mike Makaab, who represents the 33-year-old, responded as KickOff went enquiring.
"When you look at how the national team has progressed in recent times, the bronze medal at AFCON, when we were struggling to even qualify... So, one has to give support to the national team and its selection policy and not be too critical from the outside looking in.
"That said, I do believe that Sage is one of the top goalkeepers in the country at the moment and I do believe that if he continues working hard and like everything in life, his time will come," Makaab said.
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"Goalkeepers are unlike outfield players. When you're 29, 30, as a goalkeeper or [in] your early 30s as a goalkeeper, you can play for the next 10 years. We have seen that in some of the best leagues in the world. Sage is one of those people that looks after himself, works incredibly hard, he's incredibly professional.
"I had a discussion with him face-to-face, he said he will never stop giving his best. His dream is to play for the country, but again, the most important thing is for him to perform well and perform consistently, do the best he can and the rest... you've got to just keep focus on what you can control."
Stephens will have another opportunity to impress the national coach when his side take on Pirates in the MTN8 final on October 5, but before then, there is the small matter of CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round matches against AS Vita of DR Congo.