Johannesburg - Never one to back down from a fight, sacked Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba always stood his ground when questioned about selections.
Here are the five players that defined his tenure, some he absolutely felt he could never do without and others he was convinced were surplus to his requirements despite arguments to the contrary.
Tokelo Rantie
It wasn’t until October this year that Mashaba gave up on the former English Premier League striker due to a disappearing act ahead of Bafana’s crucial 2018 World Cup qualification opener against Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou. Before then, the coach would have taken a bullet for Rantie, who now plays in Turkey as he resurrects his career. While he worked tirelessly to convince Eddie Howe at Bournemouth that he was capable of leading the line for The Cherries but was constantly overlooked, Rantie remained one of the first names on the team sheet for Mashaba.
Thamsanqa Gabuza
It’s no coincidence that another striker tops the list of players who defined the period Mashaba was in charge - scoring goals, or a lack thereof, gave all of us sleepless nights where the national team was concerned. The coach had good reason to persist with Gabuza and, to his credit, dropped him as soon as the forward became a fringe player at his club, Orlando Pirates. His six goals in 12 matches further vindicated the decision to keep picking the burly forward.
Kamohelo Mokotjo
The confusing relationship between Mashaba and Mokotjo was a PR nightmare for Safa and really should have been handled better. In April, the FC Twente midfielder said he wouldn’t play for Bafana again as long as Mashaba, who once called him “sluggish”, was still calling the shots having been selected in previous matches only to sit on the bench and sometimes in the stands. The two have worked together before in the junior national team set-up and got along just fine, which is why it was baffling to see their dislike of each other play itself out once they had both graduated to the senior team.
Ayanda Patosi
No doubt Mashaba’s now former bosses had insisted on the return of Patosi to the side after the coach sidelined him for a spot in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations squad in favour of Thuso Phala.
To date, the Belgian-based winger is yet to make his mark in a crucial qualifier, with Mashaba having only given him a run in meaningless matches. Patosi didn’t do himself any favours, though - missing a flight for his first call-up when Mashaba got the gig to coach the team over two years ago.
Thulani Serero
Are you noticing the trend? Mashaba clearly grappled with this idea that the country’s European contingent were somehow better than their locally-based counterparts and was determined to prove us all wrong.
Ajax Amsterdam’s Serero was a shock omission in the 2015 Afcon squad, but had recently formed part of a trusted group by the coach in pursing qualification for the World Cup in Russia, scoring in the 2-1 win over Senegal, a victory overshadowed by a post-match tirade which ultimately cost Mashaba his job.