The Orlando Pirates midfielder is back in the national team after helping Bafana reach the Afcon quarter-finals in July
South Africa midfielder Thembinkosi Lorch is ready to work with new Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki as they prepare to face Mali in Sunday’s Nelson Mandela Challenge in Port Elizabeth.
It will be Ntseki’s first match in charge as South Africa head coach, having previously worked as assistant to his predecessor Stuart Baxter.
During his time as Baxter’s understudy, Ntseki worked with Lorch, whose goal sent Bafana Bafana into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after eliminating hosts Egypt in July.
“I am looking forward to working with the coach again. In the previous international week we were looking forward to playing and representing the country,” Lorch was quoted as saying by SowetanLive.
“He is a good coach and works well with his players. He doesn’t have favourites and treats everyone equally.
“I had not worked with him before [the national team]. I only worked with him for the first time in the national team.”
Pirates midfielder Lorch expressed regret at Bafana missing September’s international period, when their scheduled friendly matches against Zambia and later Madagascar were cancelled.
“It was very disappointing that as a country we had to go through that period of xenophobic violence which affected everyone,” added Lorch.
After the Mali game, South Africa begin their 2021 Afcon qualifiers in November and are in Group C, which includes Ghana and Sudan as well as the preliminary round winner between Mauritius and Sao Tome e Principe.
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