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.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.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."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."He is a good player, and it is an opportunity for him to join our group."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.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.The World Cup hosts face Japan in Port Elizabeth on November 14 before hosting Jamaica in Bloemfontein three days later.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).