He was reportedly expected to be sacked this afternoon by his South African Football Association employers, but a confident Shakes Mashaba yesterday named his 25-man Bafana Bafana squad for next month’s crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier away to Burkina Faso just a few steps from his office at Nasrec.
The national team coach was on the charm offensive, walking around shortly after the standard Q and A with the press, smiling with journalists and posing for pictures.
This wasn’t the look of a man whose job hangs by a thread, but Mashaba will know that anything other than victory in Ouagadougou on October 8 will have him on the ropes again before the second qualifier against Senegal in South Africa a month later is around the corner.
Safa will hold a national executive committee meeting today but it is highly unlikely there will be an outcome on Mashaba’s future.
Perhaps only talks of how to clamp down on his complex relationship with the media and his occasional outbursts will be discussed.
Maybe reinforcing his mandate of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia will be on the agenda, but while anything is possible with Safa, Mashaba will not be getting the boot - for now.
“I have not been distracted,” said the coach when asked whether speculation about his job had interrupted his planning process ahead of naming his squad for such a massive fixture.
“I indicated that only sticks and stones will break my bones. I remain focused on the job at hand and have full confidence in my ability as a coach to lead this team forward.
“Much has been said about my future, but I am still the coach.”
Safa president Danny Jordaan had given the impression that the association’s hierarchy wanted Mashaba out and had even lost faith in whether he was the man to get them to the World Cup, having missed out on next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Gabon by finishing third in a group that included Cameroon, Gambia and lowly Mauritania.
Jordaan’s anger in a post-match interview after Bafana played to a goalless draw in a dead-rubber qualifier against Mauritania last month opened the door to wild speculation.
Mashaba picked a strong squad Friday, recalling Ayanda Patosi, a player he had frozen out of the national team for several months, and sprang a surprise by selecting new Bidvest Wits striker Eleazar Rodgers to give regular Thamsanqa Gabuza some competition.
Both can be quite physical forwards and could be pivotal in countering the strength of Burkina Faso.
It’s a team of heavyweights the coach is banking on, a clear sign that he is going all out for victory against a side Bafana have beaten four times in seven matches.
Mashaba is also hoping he wins back the trust of those who believe his time is up, including Jordaan.
“If you want me to talk about my job security, that would be difficult because you have to direct that question to the office of the chief executive (Dennis Mumble).
“Yes, we are expecting support from the association and you can see it is there, with early flights and those kinds of things.
“I can’t answer beyond that, but no one takes a role without expecting to win,” the coach said.
Safa also confirmed that Bafana would host Ghana at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban three days after their return from Burkina Faso.
Bafana squad
Goalkeepers: Jackson Mabokgwane, Itumeleng Khune, Brighton Mhlongo
Defenders: Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Rivaldo Coetzee, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Abbubaker Mobara, Diamond Thopola, Tebogo Langerman, Eric Mathoho, Thabo Matlaba
Midfielders: Dean Furman, May Mahlangu, Thulani Serero, Oupa Manyisa, Ayanda Patosi, Keagan Dolly, Aubrey Modiba, Mpho Makola, Hlompho Kekana
Strikers: Eleazar Rodgers, Thamsanqa Gabuza, Thobani Mncwango, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Tokelo Rantie
Follow Mazola Molefe on Twitter@superjourno
Saturday Star