Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane justifies Thabang Matuludi selection despite limited game time - 'He has played a few friendly games'

The decision to include Thabang Matuludi in the latest South African national team roster raised eyebrows across the football landscape.

Having recently completed a high-profile move to Mamelodi Sundowns, the defender only made his competitive debut for the Brazilians during their FIFA Intercontinental Cup clash against Saudi giants Al-Ahli.

Pitso Mosimane remained defiant when asked about the logic behind picking a player who had effectively been watching from the sidelines since the start of the domestic campaign.

The coach emphasised that his technical team does not make decisions in a vacuum and that extensive background work goes into every single name included in the squad, regardless of their current standing or activity level at their respective clubs.

Speaking to the media regarding the scrutiny over Matuludi, Mosimane explained: “Well, sometimes you need to have a little bit of Sangoma next to you, right, to predict and tell you what you should do, and I know that somewhere somehow somebody’s gonna say, ‘Why are you picking a player who’s not playing right? We do our research. I’ve watched him. I know he’s been training the whole pre-season," the coach said, as per iDiski Times.

"I don’t get involved in the other stuff that clubs do. The players belong to clubs.

"We should respect the clubs. We should also respect the coaches at their respective teams."

The coach was adamant that training intensity and internal club preparation are just as vital as match minutes when evaluating a player's readiness for the international stage.

Mosimane highlighted that his staff maintains a close watch on the developments at various training grounds.

Mosimane further elaborated on the continuity of the squad, pointing out that Matuludi is not a newcomer to the international setup.

The coach credited his predecessor for integrating the defender into the national fold originally, noting that the player's previous involvement in major tournaments like the World Cup provided a foundation of trust.

“But a national team player is a national team player, right? And also it’s important that the players must know that if they train and they’re doing things well, and we are watching, we know what’s happening.

"We don’t just arrogantly choose a Matuludi because we want to put a Matuludi, and unfortunately, as a coach, you know how it is. You guys tell after, right?"

"If he was right or wrong, and if he’s wrong, we know that we’re gonna get the grill out of it, right? And if we are right, that’s why we are coaches. So yeah, we do our research. I’ve followed Matuludi all the way."

The Bafana coach revealed that his interest in the player predated his official appointment to the hot seat. He claimed to have conducted exhaustive research on all potential candidates before even putting pen to paper on his own contract.

Concluding his defense of the player, Mosimane stated: “Ever since I’ve been given the opportunity to be a Bafana coach, I’ve just researched everything and everywhere long before I signed the contract.

"I don’t want to sound smart here. Matuludi was in the World Cup, right? So, what am I saying to you? He was already there.

“The previous coach had him, so I think we should give credit to the previous coach for having him in the team. And yeah, that’s it.

"So thanks to the boy who played in a cup final on Saturday, I think it was a decent performance to show that he’s a decent player and he needs to fight for the position.”