SAFA to lift Serero ban for Super Eagles

SAFA are looking at recalling Holland-based midfielder Thulani Serero for the AFCON qualifier with Nigeria next month.

SAFA banned Serero from playing for Bafana Bafana in February after he refused to report for national duty unless he was guaranteed game-time in Stuart Baxter’s side for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Senegal last year.

The Vitesse playmaker was benched in the previous three internationals, twice against Cape Verde and against Burkina Faso.

In a Dutch media report in November 2017, Serero was infamously quoted as saying: “The sofa in Arnhem is more comfortable than the South African bench.
“If the national team wants me, then I must play. As the situation is now I don’t want to go.”

But according to sources at SAFA, the national association are making efforts to patch things up with the former Ajax Amsterdam man.

“There has been contact. SAFA are keen to bring back Serero to Bafana Bafana,” says a source.

“He could be included in the squad to be announced by Stuart Baxter for the game against Nigera.”