Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Parreira on Thursday (04 March) announced a 29-man squad to travel to Brazil for a month-long training camp. The camp is in preparation for the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup, and is one of three before the start of the tournament in June. The two other camps will be in Germany in April and in South Africa in May.

The squad is made up mainly of players doing duty in the ABSA Premiership, with just two who are overseas-based – Daylon Claasen as well as Kermit Erasmus.

On the Safa Website Parreira says it was a difficult period trying to put together the schedule for the Brazilian Camp.

“The Brazilian League is in full swing and it proved very difficult to put this whole exercise together. But the highlight of the camp should be a match against local first division club Cruzeiro on the 17th of March. But before that we will play another club Volta Redonda on the 13th. Both are training matches. We have also secured an international friendly match against Paraguay in Paraguay on the 31st of March,” said Parreira.

Confirmed Matches for Brazil Camp

Matches confirmed for the Brazil Camp:

• BB VS Volta Redondo – 13 March (Kickoff at 15h30)
• BB VS Fluminense – 14 March (Kickoff at 15h30)
• BB VS Cruzeiro – 17 March (Kickoff at 21h50)
• BB VS Botafogo – 20 March
• INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY: BB VS Paraguay – 31 March (Kick off at 19h30)

The Beverly Hills in Umhlanga Rocks where the Greece Team is based.

FIFA  announced the 32 base camps that the 2010 FIFA World Cup finalists will be using earlier this week . amid rumors and grumblings from some coaches about the facilities.

Host Bafana Bafana will be based at the Southern Sun Grayston Hotel in Sandton and train at Sandown High School, north of Johannesburg.

Bafana have two more training camps outside the country, one in Germany and another in Brazil.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will be based in Hempshire, KZN Dolphin Coast, along with Cameroon who will be based at the Oyster Box close by in Durban. Teams also camping in KwaZulu Natal are Paraguay at Woodridge Country Lodge, Algeria at Zimbali Lodge and Greece at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Chile is so far the only team which will be based in Mpumalanga at Ingwenyama Conference Centre.

Teams that will be based in the North West include, Korea Republic at the Hunters Rest Hotel, England at the Bafokeng Sports Campus and Spain at the Potchefstroom University (North West Campus).

Bafana’s opponents in Group A, Uruguay, will be the only team with a training camp in the Northern Cape at the Protea Hotel in Kimberley.

Three teams that will have base camps in the Western Cape are Japan at the Fancourt Hotel & Country Club, Denmark at Simola Hotel Country Club and France at Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa.

Gauteng will have the privilege of hosting Netherlands at the Hilton Sandton Hotel, Brazil at the Fairway Hotel, Mexico at Thaba ya Batswana, Honduras at Indaba Hotel, North Korea (Korea DPR) at the Protea Hotel Midrand.

Serbia will be based at the Sunnyside Park Hotel, Australia at the Kloofzicht Lodge, while defending world champions, Italy, will be based at the Leriba Lodge.

USA will be based at Irene Country Lodge, Ivory Coast will be based at Riverside Hotel and Conference Centre, while Switzerland will be based at the Emerald Resort and Casino.

Germany will set up camp at the Velmore Hotel, Portugal at the Alley Hotel, Ghana at the Rhoode Valley, New Zealand at the Serengeti Estate and Slovenia will be based at the Hyde Park Southern Sun Hotel.

However, the list of base camps, according to FIFA, is subject to change.

Moses Mabhida Stadium

SuperSport United defender Morgan Gould has been withdrawn due to injury  from the Bafana Bafana squad to face Namibia in an international friendly on Wednesday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban according to Kickoff.com

His teammate and captain at United, Bongani Khumalo, will take his place. Gould suffered the injury in his club’s 1-2 League defeat to Bidvest Wits on Wednesday.

The South Africa vs Nabmiba match is part of the 100-day countdown celebrations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The match kicks off at 8.30. Tickets are available at Computicket at Checkers.

On Wednesday 3 March Bafana Bafana will celebrate the 100-day countdown to the 2010 FIFA World Cup at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban with a friendly against Namibia.

100-Day Countdown to 2010 World Cup

In the stands on the 100- day countdown night will be a man who knows what winning is all about. Former Brazilian Captain, Cafu will be in town to attend the dinner at the ICC the previous night, and the match on Wednesday. Cafu twice won the World Cup as captain of the Brazilian side.

Joining him will be a line up of former Bafnan Bafana Players. FIFA President Sepp Blatter will also be in town. March 2 officially marks the 100-day countdown.

Big Screen at Moses Mabida

Overseas-based Players in Bafana Bafana Squad

Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Parreira has included some overseas-based players when he announced his squad to face Namibia. The international friendly encounter will be played on Wednesday, 03 March at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Kick off is at 20h30.

“It’s a profound gesture for us; to celebrate 100 days before the World Cup demonstrates how close we are to the event, and we are glad to be participating in the proceedings. But over and above that this match comes at a time when the leagues around the world are at a crucial stage; so we have tried not to disrupt the club’s programs too much. At most we have taken three from each team but still keeping with the core of our squad. This is a chance to see some players more – like defender Bryce Moon ; who I haven’t seen in a Bafana Bafana jersey in a long time and also because he will not be able to travel to Brazil and Germany with us,” said Parreira on the Safa website.

But the coach was quick to point out that it does not mean that the players who are not in this team have lost their places in the squad for the World Cup.

“No, even though I have a good idea of what my final squad will look like, there are still places up for grabs, so I still have to see other players as we enter the final road of our preparations,” added Parreira.

Bafana Bafana Squad
BARON Emille (GK)
DAVIDS Lance
CARNELL Bradley
FRANSMAN Bevan
GOULD Morgan
JALI Andile
KHUBONI Thanduyise
KHUNE Itumeleng (GK)
KLATE Daine
LETSHOLONYANE Reneilwe
MODISE Teko
MOKOENA Lebohang
MOON Bryce
MPHELA Katlego
NGCONGCA Anele
SANGWENI Siyabonga
SEGOLELA Tlou
SERERO Thulani
THWALA Lucas
TOM Mzivukile
TSHABALALA Siphiwe
XULU Siyanda

Well the PSL is all over bar the shouting and Supersport United are once again the Absa Premiership Champions.

Supersport United were handed the trophy for the third successive season to match the feat of Mamelodi Sundowns who claimed the PSL title in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

It seems like such an anticlimax when a team like this has to win even though they fell to a shock defeat to struggling Wits at Attridgeville Super Stadium.

And to keep things even, Matsatsantsa’s nearest title rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns, were beaten by bottom club Jomo Cosmos.

Is it just me or do some teams take their foot off the gas when they realize how unbeatable they are?

Anyway, the race is still on further down to make up the PSL Top 8.

Photo: Supersport United Celebrates their Absa Premiership Victory from football365.com