As Qobolakhe Sibande continues to make an immediate impact at Egyptian
club Petrojet, his agent, Mike Makaab, has weighed in on the defender’s
prospects of earning a call-up to the Bafana Bafana squad under head coach
Hugo Broos.
Sibande, who made the move from TS Galaxy to the North African outfit during
the January transfer window, has hit the ground running with a series of
impressive performances. His consistency has not gone unnoticed,
particularly given Broos’s well-documented tendency to look favourably upon
players with a TS Galaxy background.
The Belgian tactician has previously handed opportunities to former Rockets
players, most notably Samukele Kabini, whose surprise inclusion in the final
Africa Cup of Nations squad raised eyebrows. Kabini, now plying his trade at
Norwegian club Molde, joined Khulumani Ndamane—another Galaxy product who
caught Broos’s eye before his move to Mamelodi Sundowns in January—as proof
of the coach’s willingness to trust that particular pipeline.
This raises the question: could Sibande be the next former Galaxy star to
force his way into the national team setup?
Speaking to PSLSA, Makaab acknowledged that while it may be early to
expect an immediate call-up, Sibande’s trajectory is certainly one to watch.
“You know I would probably be premature to say that’s something we would
expect (a national team call up soon), but I also have little doubt, knowing
Hugo Broos and the way he looks at footballers,” Makaab said.
“I have little doubt that if Qobo continues to do well, he will be on the
radar, there’s no doubt about that. Again, I say, he’s really a talented
player and has got all the attributes of a top class footballer and an
incredibly gifted left foot.”
The experienced intermediary stressed the importance of patience, noting
that the 25-year-old’s current trajectory is promising.
“So we just have to take it one step at a time and hope he builds on this.
He has been playing 90 minutes (matches) which is important, his ratings
have been good and the team is competitive. It’s very interesting.”
Makaab also revealed that he expects Sibande’s form to attract interest from
even bigger clubs on the continent, while taking a moment to credit the
development work done by renowned coach Farouk Khan.
“I think Qobo is going to reach the potential we all believed he was capable
of reaching when he started at Stars of Africa and again we’ve got to credit
Farouk Khan for developing some wonderful players and Qobo is one of them,”
Makaab stated.
“I get a feeling if he continues to do well and I say this with no
disrespect to Petrojet, but I believe one of the bigger clubs in North
Africa are going to look for his services.”
Sibande joins a growing list of former TS Galaxy players to feature in the
national team conversation, alongside the likes of Bathusi Aubaas, who is
currently part of the Bafana setup.
