2 May 2019 – Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter on Thursday, 2 May 2019 briefed members of the media regarding the upcoming COSAFA and AFCON tournaments. He also touched on his upcoming trip to Europe to check on some of the players.

Baxter said there will be two separate squads – one to prepare for COSAFA and the other for AFCON – and both which he said would be competitive.

The Bafana Bafana coach said in drawing up the two squads, the technical team will also factor in the end of the season Premier Soccer League programme, the Nedbank Cup final and the possibility of Mamelodi Sundowns playing in the CAF Champions League final.

He said he will assemble, possibly 18 players in Johannesburg for AFCON pending the arrival of overseas players and those from Sundowns.

The Bafana Bafana coach said they intend to take a reduced squad of 22 players to Durban for COSAFA Cup tournament which will comprise new faces and some past experience. He also didn’t rule out the inclusion of one of two overseas based players in the COSAFA squad.

The AFCON squad will play one international friendly in South Africa before leaving for a comprehensive and longer camp in Dubai where some of the players from COSAFA will join the AFCON team.

In Dubai, Bafana Bafana will play a West African opponent, probably Ghana before heading to Egypt where another friendly match against a North African side is on the cards.

Baxter is off to Europe tonight (Thursday, 02 May 2019) where he intends to check on the likes of Joel Untersee, Liam Jordan and other players playing overseas.