SAFA has already indicated that Masilela is due to appear before a DC for not reporting for an assessment with the national team doctors as per FIFA rules ahead of the disastrous 2017 Afcon qualifiers in Mauritania.
Masilela chose to travel to United States of America instead of heading out to be ‘checked’ by the Bafana doctors, igniting a row that has created a storm.
“The Tsepo issue is just long and long but the short part of it is that Tsepo is injured,” Komphela says. “Even when we signed Tsepo the recommendation from the medics was that this player can only give you 18 months of his career, but Tsepo has gone on.
“Tsepo is a warrior so he has had this knee, but we have managed the knee. Even here when we load stuff like jumping, plyometric and all that, Tsepo doesn’t do it because the knee hurts.
“Even yesterday, when we train I keep an eye on him and I check. If I feel he is going through pain because Tsepo will never withdraw – he always goes all out – then I say you can have a rest.
“We are trying to manage him and genuinely so, he was injured. He went to the US and anybody who wants to check with whatever agents if you don’t trust that we might have printed the ticket ourselves, you can go check. Everything else was on board.
“The only frustration is that when you give the best in terms of honesty, honour and integrity and somebody questions that it is painful. There is nothing as painful as being questioned when you are credible.”
So would Kompela – as his club coach who also played, captained and coached Bafana – recommend that Masilela retire from international football to bring an end to this hullabaloo that has created misunderstandings?
“I am a patriot through and through and so confusion or no confusion, I have to lead and not mislead. So the interpretation of the recommendations might be misleading or leading, but all that we need to do to these youngsters is to lead them to understand the essence of a good citizenship.
“So if – medically – Tsepo cannot get into Bafana Bafana, clearly the medical recommendation would be that ‘listen, you have to stop playing’.
“Also, it is not about our wish and our recommendation, it is about the federation as well. You might want to see Tsepo go to Bafana Bafana but Bra Shakes decides no, I don’t think he is not going to be in my plans for 2018. So you can wish as much as you want, it is also about the other side as well.
“But in terms of us, him and recommendations to Bafana, it is just to acknowledge that the guy is not fully fit. That is all we can say.”
Masilela is now back training with the rest of his teammates this week after missing the weekend encounter against SuperSport United, and could line up in the MTN8 Final against Ajax Cape Town on Saturday.
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