Kaizer Chiefs’ Sirino: The missing link for Bafana Bafana?
Sirino’s standout performances at Chiefs raise questions about why Bafana has yet to call him up, especially with Themba Zwane’s injury.
Kaizer Chiefs’ Gaston Sirino has received accolades for his impressive transition into a key playmaker at Amakhosi. However, despite his strong performance, he has not earned a call-up from Uruguay during the recent international break. This raises the question: why hasn’t the South African national team, Bafana Bafana, considered him, especially given his South African citizenship?
Perfect replacement for an injured Zwane
Bafana Bafana faces a challenge with the injury of key player Themba Zwane, who plays a similar role to Sirino. This situation makes Sirino an ideal candidate to step in and bolster the national team’s offensive capabilities. The ex-Sundowns maestro operates in the half-space, creating overloads and confusion to opposition defences.
Since joining Chiefs after being deemed surplus to requirements at Mamelodi Sundowns, Sirino has made his mark. The 33-year-old has silenced sceptics by leading the offensive midfield with confidence, contributing two goals and three assists in just four matches. His efforts have been instrumental in helping the Soweto giants effectively penetrate their opponents under head coach Nasreddine Nabi.
His determination and quality
“Gaston is a very focused player and always trains 100%,” says former Sundowns captain Ricardo Nascimento, who played alongside Sirino for four years, as quoted by Kick Off.
“I had no doubt that he will do well at Kaizer Chiefs because he is an excellent player. Look, man, Gaston is a very focused and winning player. When he sets his mind to something, he will do his best to achieve it. He is a winning player.”
Nascimento emphasises Sirino’s technical quality, stating. “He will help Kaizer Chiefs a lot.” Sirino boasts an impressive trophy haul from his time at Sundowns, including seven league titles, two Nedbank Cups, a Telkom Knockout, an MTN8, and the African Football League, all won before his free transfer to Chiefs.
Will Bafana Bafana give Sirino a chance?
The question remains, will Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos take a chance on Sirino?
This scenario has historical precedence in South African sports; the SA Rugby team once fielded Zimbabwean-born players, like Tendai Mtawarira, known as “Beast,” who qualified for South Africa on residency grounds. Just like Mtawarira, Sirino now possesses South African citizenship, making him eligible for selection.
On the 30th of March 2023, Sirino said, “If i receive the call, I would be happy to represent this beautiful nation(Bafana Bafana).”
Stay tuned with The South African as Kaizer Chiefs’ Sirino makes a strong claim for the next Bafana squad.
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