Thato Mokeke is ready to play anywhere for Bafana Bafana as he looks to savour a recall a long time in coming.
Mokeke was the surprise name in coach Mofeli Ntseki’s first squad as South Africa look to rebuild after their Afcon 2019 quarterfinal exit.
They will play Madagascar in an Orlando Stadium friendly on Saturday after initial opponents Zambia pulled out due to the ongoing Gauteng xenophobic attacks.
It was the first time the 30-year-old was called up since 2014 when he was a leftback at Ajax Cape Town.
He soon moved to SuperSport United, where he fell off the radar.
But after joining Cape Town City in January and being converted to a midfielder, the Cape veteran has shone for coach Benni McCarthy.
And his form has been so impressive that Ntseki wants him in the squad, but in the backline.
Asked if his ability to dictate and initiate play with his left foot is what got him the call-up, he says: “There is tough competition in both defence and midfield.
WORKING HARD: Kermit Erasmus and coach Molefi Ntseki. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix.
“I will continue to play my best and see how it goes.
“I didn’t expect to get a call-up.
"But it comes as a big boost for me. I’ll just see how it goes it for me.”
The friendly International match between Bafana Bafana and Madagascar will take place at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, 7 September 2019. Due to the late notice of game preps, entrance to the match is free of charge and tickets collection points are being finalized.
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) September 5, 2019
Kick off 19h00 pic.twitter.com/hZYqBoGuGa
He adds: “Coach Benni told me that he [Ntseki] called him up and asked if I don’t mind playing as a defender. And he told him to ask me himself.
“So when he called and asked if I mind him calling me a defender, I said: ‘No problem’. Because I haven’t been there for a long time.”