There were few surprises when the South Africa squad was announced for the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with Linda Motlhalo, Thembi Kgatlana and captain Refiloe Jane leading the side.
Banyana were handed a timely boost shortly before the squad announcement as star striker Kgatlana returned to action and goalscoring form, after spending much of the past year recovering from a knee injury.
Kgatlana netted her first NWSL goal for new club Racing Louisville FC in the 2-0 win over Gotham FC in mid-June — her seventh appearance and second start for the club.
Kgatlana, along with Glasgow City playmaker Motlhalo and captain Jane, the anchor in the middle of the park for Sassuolo, is likely to lead the charge for Banyana in Group G, where they will face Sweden, Italy and Argentina.
Thalea Smidt was the only surprise omission, leaving a fan-favourite side for Banyana Banyana fans to follow come July 20 in the Antipodes, despite repeated criticism of coach Des Ellis from within football circles.
Ellis is adored by fans, but has been criticised by former players for being hesitant to change her preferred group of players at major tournaments, and has been accused of favouritism and personal bias.
She has never paid criticism from former players much mind, however, and has the results to back it up, most notably, the continental holy grail itself – South Africa’s first ever WAFCON win in 2022.
The WAFCON triumph in Morocco, which saw Banyana beat the hosts 2-1 in the final, came after South Africa’s top international goalscorer of all-time, Portia Modise, had delivered the most scathing public criticism of Ellis and her squad selection to date.
“It’s not about the quality of players that need to play in the national team, it’s about favouritism and if I don’t like this one then she won’t be part of the team,” Modise told iDiski Times ahead of the WAFCON.
“Despite the fact that this person is a top striker in Africa, we don’t care. If there was a top South African striker that was not included in the Bafana Bafana [men’s national team] squad, would the nation be quiet?”
After Ellis led Banyana to the WAFCON title, Modise congratulated her, but she had not been the first to criticise her.
Former Banyana goalkeeper Roxanne Barker was quoted by the Daily Sun as saying in 2019: “I raised issues with Desiree which some players couldn’t raise openly.
“They only raised issues quietly in the corners. That’s cowardice and I don’t stand for that. Des has treated players unfairly. It’s a known fact in the team.
“Just look at how she has treated Mpumi Nyandeni, a wonderful player and a person. Over what? Personal issues?
“It was the same with Amanda (Dlamini), who was said to be overweight when there was no genuine reason not to select her. Players know about these things. Yet, they keep quiet.”
More recently, although she insisted it was not a criticism of Ellis, Ode Fulutudilu said in an interview with ESPN this year that she felt she deserved to be in the Banyana squad, despite having been left out for the WAFCON.
The striker, who finished the 2022/23 season with Real Betis, has now once again left out of this year’s World Cup squad after making the cut in 2019.
At the time of her mid-season move to Betis, Fulutudilu said: “The bar for me to get into the national team is much higher than for a lot of players and I’ve accepted that.
“That’s why I made the sacrifice to come to Spain and hopefully have more impact in the assisting and scoring chart, and be so good that it would be hard to be ignored.
“Every single coach, wherever you play, they do have their preference of players. I happen to fall outside of that preference, which is unfortunate, but it’s life – I get it. Once you fall out of that preference, you have to do a little bit more than others.”
Fulutudilu’s omission from the World Cup squad was no surprise, as she only managed one start and nine substitute appearances at Betis and had been left out of the group which reported to the pre-selection training camp.
Veteran defender and former captain Janine van Wyk has also missed out, but this, too, is no surprise, as Ellis had already clarified prior to the squad announcement that she was injured but remains part of her plans.
Smidt’s omission was more surprising, as the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder is only 25 years old and was part of the squad which won the 2022 WAFCON.
The fact remains that in terms of silverware, Ellis is their most successful coach ever.
In total, Ellis has made five changes to the WAFCON-winning squad. The five players included last year who have missed the cut now are goalkeeper Regirl Ngobeni, defender van Wyk, midfielders Smidt and Amogelang Motau, and forward Nthabiseng Majiya.
Motau, Ngobeni and Majiya have been placed on the standby list, while van Wyk and Smidt have been excluded entirely.
The five players travelling in their place will be goalkeeper Kebotseng Molesane, defenders Fikile Magama and Tiisetso Makhubela and forwards Wendy Shongwe and Gabriela Salgado.
As long as Banyana continue their upward trajectory since the former captain took over as head coach ahead of the 2018 WAFCON, complaints even from the highest-profile critics will continue to fall upon deaf ears amongst the adoring public, who grow more besotted with Banyana with every tournament.
Banyana Banyana squad
Goalkeepers: Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns), Kaylin Swart (JVW FC), Kebotseng Moletsane (Royal AM)
Defenders: Karabo Dhlamini, Lebohang Ramalepe, Tiisetso Makhubela, Bambanani Mbane (all Mamelodi Sundowns), Fikile Magama, Bongeka Gamede (both UWC), Noko Matlou (SD Eibar)
Midfielders: Kholosa Biyana, Sibulele Holweni (both UWC), Refiloe Jane (Sassuolo), Linda Motlhalo (Glasgow City), Nomvula Kgoale (TS Galaxy), Robyn Moodaly (JVW FC)
Forwards: Gabriela Salgado (JVW FC), Jermaine Seoposenwe (CF Monterrey), Noxolo Cesane (Unattached), Melinda Kgadiete (Mamelodi Sundowns), Wendy Shongwe (University of Pretoria), Hildah Magaia (Sejong Sportstoto), Thembi Kgatlana (Racing Louisville FC)
Standby: Amogelang Motau, Regirl Ngobeni (both UWC), Nthabiseng Majiya (Richmond United)
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