"I already knew that I wasn't going to make it to the AFCON squad because I wasn't playing," said Maswanganyi.
Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi has spoken out about his omission from the Bafana Bafana squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Hugo Broos included Maswanganyi in his preliminary 54-man squad, but Maswanganyi failed to make the final 25-man squad for the tournament in Morocco.
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After being a regular last season under Jose Riveiro, Maswanganyi has been in and out of the starting line-up under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou. The 27-year-old midfielder has played 14 matches in all competitions for the Buccaneers, scoring four goals and making two assists.
‘I already knew’
Speaking on Metro FM’s Sports Night Amplified with Andile Ncube, Maswanganyi admitted that the chances of going to Morocco were slim for him because of his lack of game time.
“I already knew that I wasn’t going to make it to the AFCON squad because I wasn’t playing, I would get a few minutes to play. But I think when I was called up to the national team, I had problems with small injuries,” said Maswanganyi.
“I think those kinds of things do affect your mind and your position in the national team, because we have a lot of players in the country who are working hard and are doing very well and deserve to be selected. For me, I did not even think about it, because I already knew that I wasn’t going to make it,” he added.
Maswanganyi, who Broos touted as the ideal replacement for veteran Themba Zwane, admitted to being hurt by not going to Morocco to represent his country, but added that he understood Broos’s reason for not selecting him.
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“Yeah, for sure it does, because everyone wants to be there, but if you can’t be there, you can’t force things. I think I need to work hard and wait for my opportunity. Right now, I am working hard to find my place back in the team. If I do well in the team, that raises my chances of being in the national team,” concluded Maswanganyi.
