McCarthy Not Wanted by South Africa

While Premiership managers like Harry Redknapp, Sam Allardyce and Avram Grant are sweating on their players heading off to the African Cup of Nations in January, Blackburn boss Mark Hughes has no such worries. Because Carlos Alberto Parreira has named his South Africa squad for the ACN, and Benni McCarthy’s name is nowhere to be found. And he’s not the only big name missing. Delron Buckley and Macbeth Sibaya are also missing, both of whom play in Europe for FC Basle and Rubin Kazan respectively. So what is Parreira up to?

The Brazilian coach of Bafana Bafana had perhaps a little overenthusiastically described McCarthy as “the messiah” in his quest to get the Blackburn man back in the national team and scoring. Despite his importance, McCarthy’s attendance for South Africa has been spotty, and though he’s still doing the business in the Premier League, he hasn’t done much in a South Africa shirt during his recent comeback.

There’s speculation that McCarthy’s omission is part of a deal struck between Parreira, McCarthy and Mark Hughes, but the Blackburn boss is claiming innocence. More likely, Parreira wants to use the African Cup of Nations to give competitive international experience to some young Bafana Bafana players, so his team will be better equipped to deal with performing as host nation when World Cup 2010 rolls around.

McCarthy’s Blackburn teammate Aaron Mokoena is making the trip to Ghana as is Everton loanee Steven Pienaar (who’s some player if you ask me) so it’s not as if Parreira has given up altogether. But surely South Africa would have benefited from taking their strongest possible team to the ACN and surely that should include their all time top scorer.

South Africa’s ACN squad in full:

Goalkeepers
Rowen Fernandez (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany)
Moeneeb Josephs (BidVest Wits, South Africa)
Itumaleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa)

Defenders
Vuyo Mere (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa)
Bryce Moon (Ajax Cape Town, South Africa)
Benson Mhlongo (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa)
Bevan Fransman (Moroka Swallows, South Africa)
Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, Israel)
Brett Evans (Ajax Cape Town, South Africa)
Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos, Greece)
Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England)

Midfielders
Kagiso Dikgacoi (Golden Arrows, South Africa)
Elrio van Heerden (Club Brugge, Belgium)
Lance Davids (Djurgardens, Sweden)
Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa)
Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa)
Steven Pienaar (Everton, England)
Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)

Strikers
Excellent Walaza (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)
Thembinkosi Fanteni (Ajax Cape Town, South Africa)
Lerato Chabangu (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa)
Katlego Mphela (Supersport United, South Africa)
Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany)