Banyana Friendly as Coach Builds for Future

Banyana Banyana head coach, Joseph Mkhonza announced a squad of 24 players that will assemble in Johannesburg for a four-day fitness and assessment camp.

The Sasol-sponsored team last played a competitive match at the Cyprus Women’s Cup in March and this camp will give the coach and his technical team an opportunity to assess players’ developments and fitness.

The squad, which is made up of locally based players, will assemble from 30 May – 2 June and this will be the first time the coach has had an opportunity to have the squad together since the team returned from Cyprus.

This camp forms part of Mkhonza’s plan to track the players’ development ahead of the international competitions that the team will be participating in later in the year. It will also form part of preparations for the Women’s COSAFA Cup which is scheduled to take place in Namibia in December this year.

“It is essential that we monitor and evaluate the players regularly especially during the quiet period for the national team,” the national coach said ahead of the camp.

This also gives us the opportunity to look at players that are doing well in the Sasol League so that we can build a strong squad for future tournaments. This is very important for the development of the team,” said Mkhonza.

Banyana Banyana are expected to depart for Nelspruit on Monday, 3 June 2013, once the coach has cut the squad down to 21 players. The team is set to play an international friendly against neighbours Mozambique at Kanyamazane Stadium on Sunday, 9 June 2013.

Mkhonza said that the team needed to consistently work at improving their performance and that having regular camps and matches was one way of achieving this objective.

“None of our girls that are playing in the overseas leagues are available for this camp. This will give me the opportunity to grow the squad for the future,” he said.