Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane refused to criticise Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki's omission of Motjeka Madisha, and instead rallied support for the coach.
Ntseki last week named his first 25-man squad since November last year, before CAF postponed all fixtures during the upcoming FIFA international week over the COVID-19 pandemic.
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However, the absence of Madisha caught the eye of fans and pundits alike, after he had been consistently starring for Sundowns on the domestic and continental front.
Asked whether the 25-year-old had been psychologically affected, Mosimane defended that what matters most is the player performing on the big stages for his club, while stressing that he has no control over his national team selection.
"It's important we support Molefe as the national team coach; it's important that we don't pick his team," said Mosimane.
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"We are allowed to say what we want on the side and, I mean, I'm not the only coach who is rooting for his players, I think it's fair enough, why not?
"I think what was encouraging was Madisha picked up man of the match; what's encouraging Madisha to deal with [Marwan] Mohsen, [Hussein] El Shahat – home and away – I mean, those guys are in the Egypt national team.
"To be playing with players from Wydad, some of whom are in their [Moroccan] national team, and that's important for him to do that – that's the highest level in the continent; there's no other [higher level].
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"So, he has done that for himself, and consistently for the last few years. If you want to make top five in the World Cup, you're going to meet these guys and have to be able to play against them.
"And you should have won at least a game against them before, and have that confidence in yourself, even for the country, to say, 'I've done this thing, remember?' But if he's not there, he's not there, you know what I mean."
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