Source: Team_Talk
'Main man' McCarthy in SA squad
McCarthy returns to the national team fold for the first time in almost a year, his last outing for Bafana Bafana coming in a friendly against Cameroon late last November.[LNB]Former South Africa coach Joel Santana omitted McCarthy from recent squads but the 31-year-old is set to earn a reprieve under the stewardship of Carlos Alberto Parreira, who returned to the helm for a second stint last month following Santana's departure.[LNB]The squad was announced on Thursday by South Africa's assistant coaches, Jairo Leal and Pitso Mosimane, with Parreira maintaining a watching brief at the press conference.[LNB]"He (McCarthy) is our main striker in the country," explained Leal. "These are the last two official FIFA dates (of 2009) and it is time to bring Benni back to join the group.[LNB]"He is a good player, and it is an opportunity for him to join our group."[LNB]South Africa are a team in crisis just months ahead of staging next year's World Cup, with a run of eight defeats in their last nine games costing Santana his job.[LNB]Parreira and his assistants have opted for a radical shake-up of the squad ahead of this month's friendlies, with three players from the Under-20 squad - Kermit Erasmus, Daylon Claasen and Darren Keet - also included in the 24-man party.[LNB]The World Cup hosts face Japan in Port Elizabeth on November 14 before hosting Jamaica in Bloemfontein three days later.[LNB]Squad: Rowen Fernandez (Arminia Bielefeld), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Darren Keet (BIDvest Wits); Siboniso Gaxa (Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo, Morgan Gould (both SuperSport United), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth), Anele Ngcongca (Genk), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows); Daine Klate (SuperSport United), Renilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), Daylon Claasen (Ajax), MacBeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Elrio van Heerden (Blackburn), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham); Benni McCarthy (Blackburn), Katlego Mphela (Sundowns), Kermit Erasmus (Excelsior), Bernard Parker Mabhudi Khenyeza (Sundowns).[LNB][LNB]
