Warriors coach Michael Nees has explained why he has delayed the announcement of the squad to face Nigeria and Benin in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Group C.

The national team will first play Benin on March 20 in Durban, South Africa before travelling to Uyo, Nigeria for their second game against the Super Eagles on the 25th of the month.

With just over a week before the games, Nees hasn’t announced a preliminary selection yet.

Explaining the delay in the announcement, the gaffer told the Sunday Mail that he needs more time to assess the locally-based players as the league has just begun.

He said: “We have a diverse team.

“I said it before — a three-group team — diverse in terms of the fact that you have a group from overseas, that is Europe, Teenage (Hadebe), also from USA, and General (Gerald Takwara), now in Iraq.

“Then we have the South African group. Then we have the local group.

“Every group, the situation is different.”

Nees added: “I said it in November that my worry was always that the (local) players might not yet be in the right shape. I already expressed that.

“I predicted that already, because I cannot even check a player properly over two, three matches before I announce the squad.

“Basically, it’s like a blind flight. You pick players and you aren’t sure are they fit? Are they this or that? Very difficult.”