Times Of Swaziland: MORE CHANGES AT SIHLANGU AS: ‘FELA’, ‘RIO’ RETURN! MORE CHANGES AT SIHLANGU AS: ‘FELA’, ‘RIO’ RETURN! ================================================================================ Machawe Fakudze on 21/09/2024 08:28:00 MBABANE - As Sihlangu intensifies its preparations for the TotalEnergies AFCON Qualifiers, some big names are on the verge of making their way back to the national team. Sihlangu are searching for their maiden qualification to the TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals. However, in just three weeks in office, Croatian-born Coach Zdravko Logarusic has brought hope of reviving the national team by reinstating weekly training sessions. In doing so, he has called up players who were previously overlooked. So far, he has summoned two squads to report for Monday and Tuesday training sessions. His squad, supposedly the last before they enter a full camp includes veteran Felix ‘Fela’ Badenhorst. The former Mbabane Swallows and now Royal Leopard’s marksman last featured for the national team in 2021. Goals During that time, he made a name for himself and the country by becoming the leading Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) all-time top goalscorer. He boasts of nine goals. Worth noting is that there has been an uproar by some fans on social media over his omission, mainly after he won the 2022/23 MTN Premier League Golden Boot with 20 goals. His sidelining has then become normal. Badenhorst is among the 29 players from nine Premier League clubs requested for next week’s training. Another name that has bounced back is that of former Mbabane Highlanders and now Moneni Pirates grafter Lindani ‘Rio’ Matsenjwa. The skilful player last featured in the national team almost five years ago during Kostadin Papic’s youthful squad. Also on the list is Green Mamba’s veteran midfield maestro, Njabulo ‘Mazza’ Thwala and his teammate, Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa, who was left out in last week’s squad. This squad is not final, as preparations for next month’s back-to-back qualifier matches against Mozambique continue. According to a memorandum from the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) and Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) released yesterday, Sihlangu are expected to enter a full camp on Monday, September 30. The memorandum further notes that the weekly training sessions aim to help the coach make an informed final selection for the national team. Meanwhile, Sihlangu legends Dennis ‘Yuki’ Masina appreciated the mix of players selected for trainings by the coach. Masina believes it will be a matter of both senior and young players understanding their roles and coaches purpose within the team. “It can work, and sometimes it might not. We can see Bafana Bafana Coach Hugo Broos is currently using a similar style. The senior players are there to guide and groom the youngsters, while the youths must be willing to learn from them,” said the former Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United player. He further stated national teams need a balance of talent and experience, and emphasised the importance of player performance’s consistency. Reflecting on his playing days, he said they were self-motivated and competed among themselves for the best results. However, he agreed that times have changed and money now plays a major role in the sport. Masina also praised the Croatian coach for reviving the weekly training sessions, noting that it will have long-term positive impact. “It’s a good idea for the coach to assess the players himself rather than just gauging them from their teams’ performance. He must try out different combinations before official games to see what works best. I wish he had come before the qualifiers started. But, I’m positive it will work out going forward,” the former Eswatini international said. It is also worth noting that these preparations may lay the foundation for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament, with qualifiers expected to begin towards the end of October.