 Fish was a surprise call-up |
Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley has said he is hopeful defender Mark Fish will shun his surprise call-up to South Africa's 2004 African Nations Cup squad. Fish has not played for Bafana Bafana for three years, but was a shock selection in coach Ephraim Mashaba's final 22 for the tournament in Tunisia.
Fish won the last of his 60 caps in October 2000, but Curbishley said he was optimistic he would not be seeking to add to them.
"I'd like to think we're not going to lose him for a month," Curbishley said.
"Mark's original situation was that he didn't want to play for South Africa and I don't think that's changed."
Dispute
Mashaba's naming of the squad more than a month in advance of the tournament was highly unusual.
The team has already lost star striker Benni McCarthy after a dispute over his time of arrival with the squad.
McCarthy wished to join up a matter of days before the tournament's start on 27 January.
But Mashaba has insisted that all 22 players be available for pre-tournament preparations some two weeks before the competition starts, as prescribed by Fifa regulations. McCarthy subsequently announced his retirement from international football.
MMIX
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