Siyabonga Nkosi scored for Arminia Bielefeld yesterday after being deemed too 'unfit' to report to the Bafana camp.

Nkosi scores for Bielefeld

Nkosi puts Middendorp in a spot by scoring

Posted: 14 May 2010 Time: 03:31 pm

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With two days of controversy surrounding Orlando Pirates’ request to withdraw Teko Modise and Bennett Chenene from the Bafana camp prior to their international friendly last night, focus shifted away from a third missing player, Siyabonga Nkosi.

Kick Off can reveal that former Kaizer Chiefs’ coach Ernst Middendorp, who stated on Monday that his new Arminia Bielefeld player was too unfit to make the trip back home, used Nkosi in a friendly match yesterday and the former Amakhosi star scored in the match.

Safa are already on record as saying that they have written to Fifa to investigate Nkosi’s non-arrival and this latest development is bound to add fuel to the fire.

The Bundesliga outfit played a team from the Buender Sports Association yesterday, and with Middendorp using a number of up-and-coming youngsters from his Under-19 squad mixed with experienced first team members who needed match practice, won 6-0.

Nkosi, who was returning from a long-injury break, knocked in the last goal in the 60th minute of the match.

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Anonymous
posted: 07:22 am
Pathetic.....I hope Fifa punish Bielefeld for using Nkosi...Middendorp should be fined as well...
Anonymous
posted: 08:34 am
I hope SAFA can withdraw this letter to FIFA, I know this sound strange but Nkosi had just returned from injury that he picked up from Bafana game and also if he is banned for 4 games as per FIFA punishment it will mean that he loses another month without match practise, which will automatically rule him out of AFCON tournament or which will means that we will take an unfit player to such a big tournament
Anonymous
posted: 08:42 am
We need Nkosi match fit for AFCON and him playing in that practice match makes more sense than him traveling to SA. He needs to playing club soccer before playing for the country and this was a great oppotunity for that to happen. SUFFER (aka SAFA) must look at this decision by Bielefeld as a blessing in disguise.
Anonymous
posted: 09:04 am
Bielefeld and Pirates should be sanctioned heavily as should the two players involved i.e Nkosi & Chenene . Teams must take our National team seriously , they should be made an example . If it means them missing the Nations Cup , so be it. The team is bigger than any player .
Anonymous
posted: 09:27 am
I think Middendorp should be fined heavily because I suppose he is the one who is behind all this. Pirates as well should be fined of what they did as they disallowed Chenene to join the national team.
Maskito
posted: 10:17 am
i hate this because its means players will suffer because of this
Anonymous
posted: 10:18 am
Middendorp is still angry with the way he left Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa, unfortunately for him Kaizer Chiefs is not South African National team, rather than being a team playing in the South African soccerleague.He ran away with both Nkosi and Fernandez only to bench the talented players in Germany, his aim was just to destabilize chiefs, of which he has achieved his mission as Chiefs have failed to fill the void left by Nkosi for a creative middle-fielder. SAFA must make full investigation to this matter. Our National team have qualified medical staff who can determine the level of fitness for all the selected players, not for Middendorp to say so. Bielefeld must be punished if found guilty on the matter.
Anonymous
posted: 10:37 am
It looks like most comments are coming from wrestling fans, where logic and fair play doesn\'t apply. Bonga was injured while representing Mzansi against Italy, eversince his club took care of his recovery, and before he can repay them back SAFA called him, of which Bonga is not match fit and I believe He is still recovering. It is fair for Bielefield to be cautious about their player and they are right on doing that, think of the issue of Michael Owen where Newcastle sue English association for Owen\'s injury, do you guys want this to happen in SA. We need an on form, fully fit players rather than half fit and lose the games unnecessary, let players who are fit play.
Anonymous
posted: 11:38 am
At least we busy securing and shuffling the line up. Right back Mere vs Moon and Nzama OUT. good move. Left back Carnell vs Masilela vs Evans vs Mdledle and Katza OUT. my worry though! central midfield. we need a very influencial holder of the ball who distributes it well. Sibaya must go.Swap around upfront. Pienaar not a winger, so push Zuma there and Pienaar in the middle. Fanteni a good intern for top strike force.
Anonymous
posted: 06:38 pm
I think Middendorp is right, you can\'t play an unfit player in the national team. Nkosi was not fit to be in the squad. Players must be selected on merit.
Anonymous
posted: 06:41 am
There is nothing wrong with Nkosi\'s absence. If u look at the team he played against, you can see that he was unfit and was not featured in other matches prior that friendly match. so management and journalists must give us a clear picture not just report for sweet noting
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