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Rulani Mokwena is unhappy about Thembinkosi Lorch being excluded from Bafana Bafana Squad!
The exclusion of Thembinkosi Lorch from Hugo Broos's latest Bafana Bafana squad has ignited a familiar debate in South African football, one that Mamelodi Sundowns' tactical architect Rulani Mokwena has dissected with the precision of a football analyst obsessed with patterns and precedents. Mokwena, whose own coaching philosophy is deeply intertwined with data and player development, didn't just express disappointment; he provided a clear, data-driven roadmap for Lorch's redemption, drawing a direct and powerful parallel to the career resurrection of Themba 'Mshishi' Zwane.It's a story that should be studied by every aspiring footballer: Zwane, once deemed surplus to requirements by the same Broos, became so statistically undeniable, so consistently brilliant in his creative output and goal contributions for Sundowns, that the coach publicly reversed his decision, a move akin to a chess grandmaster acknowledging a misstep. Mokwena's advice to Lorch—'you have to be so good that it’s difficult to ignore you'—is not just a motivational platitude; it's a strategic imperative.Lorch's recent permanent transfer from Sundowns to Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca was a necessary career recalibration, a move away from the bench-warming stagnation that had plagued his final months in the PSL. His subsequent resurgence in the Botola Pro, a league whose intensity and technical demands are a perfect proving ground for international readiness, is the kind of form that builds compelling arguments.The positive reports from Wydad's president, Hicham Ait Menna, regarding Lorch's conduct and professionalism are the off-the-ball metrics that complement the on-field assists and goals, painting a picture of a player reborn. This situation transcends a single squad selection; it touches on the very philosophy of national team management.Should selection be based solely on current form in a specific league, or is there room for a coach's tactical preference and long-term project? Broos, with his successful AFCON 2023 campaign, has earned the right to his convictions, but as Mokwena astutely points out, the Zwane precedent proves his mind can be changed by overwhelming evidence. For Lorch, the equation is now simple, yet brutally difficult: he must continue to dominate in North Africa, week in and week out, making his performances for Wydad as loud as a vuvuzela in a packed Soccer City.He must become the key protagonist in their title challenges and continental campaigns, ensuring that his highlight reel is impossible for the Bafana selectors to scroll past. The upcoming COSAFA Cup and 2026 World Cup qualifiers present a timeline; his performances at Wydad are the clock he must beat.In the grand calculus of South African football, Mokwena has essentially posited that Lorch's variable is not fixed; its value is increasing with every successful dribble, every defence-splitting pass in Casablanca. The ball, as they say, is now firmly in Lorch's court—or more accurately, at his feet on the pitches of Morocco.
#Bafana Bafana
#Thembinkosi Lorch
#Rulani Mokwena
#squad selection
#Wydad Casablanca
#national team
#featured
