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I will not obsess about Bafana Bafana - Mamelodi Sundowns' Lakay reacts to Broos' preference for younger players
Since the Belgian was appointed South Africa coach, the left-back has not been considered for the national team
Mamelodi Sundowns defender Lyle Lakay says he still has unfinished business with Bafana Bafana but will not lose sleep if he is not selected for the squad to do duty in September’s 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
On Thursday, South Africa coach Hugo Broos is expected to name the squad to travel to Zimbabwe for the September 3 Group G opener, before hosting Ghana three days later.
After being appointed Bafana coach in early May, Broos indicated that he will rebuild the national team with younger players.
Lakay was then not picked in Broos' first ever squad for June’s international friendly match against Uganda as well as the Cosafa Cup tournament.
“We all know and we can see the approach of the new coach has changed. Like they say, ‘it’s a rebuilding phase,’” Lakay told Sowetan Live.
“The coach has opted for a younger crop of players. It’s not that I am giving up on playing for the national team but if it doesn’t happen it doesn't happen. I will not obsess about the national team.”
But for now, the left-back is focusing on his Sundowns career ahead of the new Premier Soccer League season which kicks off on Friday.
For Lakay to increase his national team chances, he faces the tough task of fighting for regular football at Masandawana against Divine Lunga who was signed from Golden Arrows.
There is also another left-back Sifiso Ngobeni who was brought in from Bloemfontein Celtic and Lakay is already setting himself for an improved season.
“To be honest, I wasn’t really satisfied with how I did as an individual last season,” said Lakay.
“Personally, I’d set myself a target of 15 direct goal contributions [goals combined with assists] and made it to 13, missing my target by two. It was the highest for a full-back but I wasn’t satisfied at all.
“Firstly, I want to cement my place in the XI and then I have told myself that this season I will go for 20-goal contributions, seeing that last season I was two shy of my target of 15. If you look at last season it’s not like I didn’t have chances, there were opportunities where I could have got more with assists and even goals.’’
Apart from individual performances, Lakay is eying to help Masandawana clinch the Caf Champions League which they won in 2016.
“The Champions League is a big fish and that’s our main priority this season,” Lakay said.
“But having said that, it’s not like we are not going to give our all in other competitions because we want to win everything.’’
