Maswanganyi says replacing Zwane for Bafana Bafana will not be straightforward

Patrick Maswanganyi has played down comparisons with Themba Zwane as South Africa consider how to replace the influential midfielder in the Bafana Bafana set-up.

Zwane, who is now 37, is approaching the latter stages of his international career, while the need to find a player capable of matching his impact has become an increasingly important issue during Hugo Broos’ time as coach.

Maswanganyi addressed the succession debate in a SAFJA interview, reflecting on whether he could take over the role occupied by Zwane. The 28-year-old, who is based in Bahrain, said the two players have different qualities and that his priority would be to earn a regular opportunity with the national team.

“I think Themba Zwane is a different player when you compare him to me. And I think anyone playing football can do much better than anyone that has been playing on whatever position. And I think for me, it’s all about getting an opportunity to play. Because when I was at Bafana, I didn’t get as much opportunity as I would have liked to get,” said Maswanganyi.

The former Orlando Pirates midfielder said he had tried to contribute in his own way whenever he was selected, but found his chances limited while competing for the same position as Zwane.

“The opportunities that I’ve got, I’ve tried my best to make sure that I be myself and I play the way I know and also to improve myself and to help the Bafana team. But also when I was there at my time, I didn’t get as much opportunities as I thought I would get. But I was playing the same position with Themba Zwane who played very, very well each and every game for Bafana Bafana,” he added.

Maswanganyi also stressed that the success of South Africa’s national team mattered more than his own ambitions. Although he wanted more playing time, he said he was pleased that Zwane was performing well and helping Bafana Bafana.

“And I was just happy that someone like that is playing and is helping the Bafana Bafana team. Because it’s not only about yourself, but that’s South African football. So even though I wanted to get more opportunities, but maybe I came in at a bad time at that time,” Maswanganyi concluded.

His comments underline the difficulty of replacing a player who has maintained a strong presence for Bafana Bafana, while also acknowledging that Maswanganyi’s own future with the national team will depend on receiving more opportunities.