The South African Football Association hierarchy has been urged to ensure that all paperwork is in order before Bafana Bafana take to the pitch for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
South Africa are 'away' to Lesotho on Friday, then play host to Nigeria on Tuesday, with both matches scheduled to take place in Bloemfontein.
Hugo Broos' men occupy top spot in Group C having collected 13 points from six points, and victories from their two upcoming matches may be enough to clinch a spot in the global showpiece set to be co-hosted by the USA/Canada/Mexico.
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Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Sergio Dos Santos has appealed to SAFA, pleading with Mzansi football's mother body to ensure no suspended player takes to the field.
The cloud of a recent blunder still hangs over South African football, following an incident in a qualifier against Lesotho when Teboho Mokoena was fielded despite being ineligible due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
"Often, we discuss these issues after they occur. This time, as a country, let's take proactive steps and remind everyone at SAFA to exercise caution. We don't want anything to go wrong," warns Dos Santos, speaking to KickOff.com.
"Hopefully, SAFA has learned their lesson quickly this time. What happened with Teboho Mokoena could have had serious repercussions if the opposing team had lodged an appeal. We were fortunate that nothing came of it.
"If you want to compete at the highest level, you need to conduct yourself accordingly. You must understand the rules and regulations and ensure your homework is done. It’s essential to keep your paperwork up to date.
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"Be fully aware of who is suspended and who is injured. Pay attention to flight and hotel bookings. The players and the coaching staff can only focus on what happens on the field, but it's equally important to ensure everything is organized off the field.
"SAFA must not let the players and the country down this time. They need to provide a comprehensive dossier containing all relevant information to the team manager."
Of note is that Friday's encounter is at Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium, while next week's one is set for the Free State Stadium, and both kick off at 18:00.
Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images
