Desiree Ellis far from World Cup squad selection

Most of the members of the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) winning squad have been retained for the tournament featuring Slovenia, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Zambia from 12-23 February 2023.

“I think we've got to be open-minded because there are a lot of players raising their hands week in and week out. There's going to be, maybe, a few players that come in, but you also want to have consistency. 

At the end of the day, the players that are in the squad or the players that are out of the squad, coming into the squad their performances got to select themselves. 

So, they've got to raise their levels all the time because we've got to make sure like we did for Wafcon we take a squad for every eventuality", Ellis said. 

Overseas-based stars such as Jermaine Seoposenwe (Mexico), Linda Motlhalo (Scotland), Noxolo Cesane (France) and Refiloe Jane (Italy) will be back in action in Turkey and, barring injury, could be part of the core group for the World Cup.

Ellis stressed, however, that no player will be overlooked, as past experience has shown.

"You cannot close the door to anyone, they could be someone that we've seen. If I go back to 2018, I remember going to games every single week, and at the last minute, a player withdrew. 

And I went to watch Busi (Busisiwe) Ndimeni, well not necessarily her but having to watch her club, and we were looking for a certain player, and I don't know why in that game, just before we were getting the Wafcon squad together, bringing a squad into selection, she had ticked all the boxes in the certain position that we wanted. 

That is why I say you cannot close a door to anyone because there can be that one player that one day you got and watch and that player just 'wows' you", Ellis argued. 

Veteran Janine van Wyk is one of the few notable omissions, but Ellis confirmed this is just part of squad rotation and giving someone like Tiisetso Makhubela a run. 

Banyana Banyana Squad for Turkish Women’s Cup:

Goalkeepers:

Andile Dlamini

Kaylin Swart

Regirl Ngobeni

Katlego Moletsane

Defenders:

Asanda Hadebe

Karabo Dhlamini

Fikile Magama

Faith Owusu

Tiisetso Makhubela

Noko Matlou

Bambanani Mbane

Bongeka Gamede

Midfielders:

Refiloe Jane

Sibulele Holweni

Linda Motlhalo

Kholosa Biyana

Thalea Smidt

Robyn Moodaly

Amogelang Motau

Forwards

Noxolo Cesane

Gabriela Salgado

Jermaine Seoposenwe

Melinda Kgadiete

Nthabiseng Majiya

Hildah Magaia

Lelona Daweti