Former Bafana striker Shaun Bartlett has been roped in to assist the national team ahead of the crucial back-to-back AFCON 2019 qualifiers against Seychelles.

South Africa square off against the Group E minnows   at FNB Stadium on Saturday, before jetting off to the island nation for the return leg on Tuesday, 16 October.

Coach Stuart Baxter revealed in a press conference on Monday that the former Charlton Athletic and Kaizer Chiefs marksman will join up with the technical team on a match by match basis.

“Shaun will also be joining the coaching staff on a game-by-game basis. This will give us a chance at first to see if he likes us and we in turn like him,” Baxter said.

Shaun Bartlett, who finished his international career as South Africa’s all-time leading goal scorer with 28 goals – before being overtaken by Benni McCarthy – is expected to assist with Bafana’s problems upfront, which saw them fail to register a goal in their last outing, as they were held to a goalless draw by Libya at Moses Mabhida Stadium last month.

 

The 45-year-old has coached Golden Arrows as well as the University of Pretoria in the PSL, and will have the likes of in-form Lebo Mothiba, who recently scored a few in-form forwards to work with in the national setup.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns man Percy Tau registered his first league goal for Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian second division over the weekend, while the fit-again Lebo Mothiba – who sat out the Libya clash – bagged a brace for his French Ligue 1 outfit RC Strasbourg.

Also returning to the squad is former Supersport United striker Dino Ndlovu, who has been in red-hot form in the Chinese Super League.

Bafana are however sweating over the fitness of Orlando Pirates winger Vincent Pule as well as that of Mamelodi Sundowns’ Thapelo Morena.

The duo picked up knocks during their teams fixtures over the weekend, and are in a race against time to regain fitness ahead of Saturday’s encounter.