Johannesburg-Forty-three players will be looking to impress new Banyana Banyana coach Vera Pauw at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria on Thursday afternoon.

The Netherlands-born coach is in the process of building a squad with players who will represent the country at the 2014 edition of the CAF African Women’s Championship set for Namibia in October this year.

The Sasol-sponsored Senior Women’s National team completed their first training session on Monday afternoon.

With a mix of regular and new faces, Pauw said she was impressed by the commitment displayed at their first training session. She said she was now faced with a task of selecting the core of the squad that will face Comoros in a single round robin format CAF African Women Championship qualifiers scheduled for the end of May 2014.

“It’s fantastic to see the mobility and skills that the players have. We worked on the basic principles of occupying the pitch and trying to get the players to benefit from each other’s qualities and we could see improvements as the training session progressed. First thing is to structure the team. We want them to adopt the behaviours that we took them through so they can become second nature to the players and we can then start build on from there.

“Another aspect that we’ve focussed on is their fitness levels, which so far have not been disappointing. As we progress with the training sessions, we expect them to get sharper and stronger plus get better actions in the game,” said Pauw.

The Banyana Banyana defence sees the return of Amanda Sister and former captain, Simphiwe Dludlu and their experience will be beneficial to the national team.

Several new faces in the squad include players who were part of the South African U17 Women’s National team (Bantwana) that participated in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010.

“We must focus on the task at hand of qualifying for the CAF African Women’s Championship. Then we will shift our focus on to the actual competition set for Namibia in October as we look to get the team within the top three that will qualify for the World Cup,” said Pauw.

The selection and training camp will conclude on Sunday, 23 March.
 
BANYANA BANYANA PLAYERS IN CAMP:
 
No.
Name & Surname
Club
GOALKEEPERS
1Andile Dlamini
Mamelodi Sundowns
2Nkosingiphile Zungu*
Remax Shooting Stars
3Simphiwe Mnguni
Newcastle
4Roxanne Barker
Local at present
5Katlego Moletsane
Golden Ladies F.C
DEEFENDERS
6Nothando  Vilakazi
Super Falcons
7Amanda Sister
Liverpool Ladies
8Janine Van Wyk
Winchester Ladies
9Zamandosi Cele
Durban Ladies
10Leandra Smeda
UWC Ladies
11Gabisile Hlumbane
Kovsies Ladies
12Refiloe Jane
VUT Ladies
13Lebogang Mabatle
TUKS Ladies
14Simphiwe Dludlu
TUKS Ladies FC
15Nelisiwe Mchunu
Moroka Swallows
16Shadi Matenche
UJ Ladies
17Kgomotso Molapo
Al PUK Tawana FC
18Jabulile Mazibuko*
TUKS Ladies FC
MIDFIELDERS
19Ella Madonsela
Mpumalanga LAD
20Monica Schalkwyk*
Al PUK Tawana
21Amanda Dlamini
Durban Ladies   
22Mary Ntsweng
TUT Ladies
23Nocawe Skiti
Cape Town Roses
24Gloria Thato
TUKS Ladies
25Nomathemba Ntsibande
Springs Home Sweepers
26Memory Makhanya
Durban Ladies
27Mbali Bhengu
Sunflower
28Keneilwe Mathibela
TUKS Ladies
29Anele Dladla
Galaxy FC
30Mapule Kgoale*
UWC Ladies
31Maphuthi Manamela*
UJ Ladies
32Amanda November
Pioneer
33Busisiwe Ndimeni
Mamelodi Sundowns
34Mamello Makhabane
Palace Super Falcons
STRIKERS
35Noko Matlou
MaIndies
36Sanah Mollo
TUT Ladies
37Shiwe Nogwanya*
Bloemfontein Celtics
38Zingawe Phakathi
United Ladies
39Silindile Ngubane
Durban Ladies
40Precocious Matabologa*
UJ Ladies
41Palesa Mvala
Cilve FC
42Lebogang Ramalepe
MaIndies
43Regina Mogolola
TUKS Ladies FC
-TDN
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