Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has offered a detailed explanation for his decision to include Themba Zwane in his latest international squad.
Mosimane emphasised that Zwane’s presence is essential for educating rising stars, specifically mentioning how he can influence players like Puso Dithejane.
The coach believes that the intangible qualities of a seasoned professional are irreplaceable when building a cohesive squad environment.
"Experience, leadership. Let him tell Puso what it is to play for Bafana," he told the media.
"What is expected to stay in a high level, and what must he do to find the boys. And patience also."
Addressing the tactical side of the selection, Mosimane noted that Zwane offers a level of composure that younger attackers sometimes lack in front of goal.
"And by the way, sometimes you need to score; he must be ready. We really struggled to score.
"10, 15 minutes, he’s got that aura, combining things. But you know, guys, he’s not in a very good physical condition to be playing ahead of [Oswin] Appollis, let’s be honest.
"Nobody is messing around here, let’s stay things the right and he’s my captain," Mosimane concluded.