Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung has fired a stinging salvo at Carlos Queiroz after the national coach announced his final 22-member squad for the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Mali in three weeks' time.

An upset Motaung said Queiroz knew all along who he was taking to the biennial continental soccer showpiece, labelling the Bafana Bafana mentor's training camps as a "total waste of time and money".

During the final three-day camp that started on Boxing Day, Queiroz had called up 33 players before trimming the squad to 22.

Motaung's anger may have been triggered by the surprise omission of in-form locally based players, including mercurial midfielder Benedict Vilakazi, his Orlando Pirates team-mate and striker Lesley Manyathela and Naughty Mokoena, the dazzling linkman of league pacesetters Moroka Swallows.

What has also peeved Motaung was the exclusion of arguably the country's most gifted midfielder, Arthur Zwane, who has played a pivotal role in Amakhosi's recent success which has culminated in the Phefeni Glamour Boys annexing three prestigious trophies - the BP Top 8, the Caf Cup Winners' Cup (Mandela Cup) and the Coca-Cola Cup.

"I was not surprised at Queiroz's selection," said a fuming Motaung. "He was just pulling wool over our eyes in calling all these useless camps while he knew who his players were.

"There are dozens of players in the PSL who are on song. I don't even need to mention them as the nation knows exactly who I am referring to.

"He should have given these youngsters a chance to go and showcase their talent and also build them for the coming World Cup in South Korea and Japan."

Regarding the absence of Chiefs' talented midfielder Jabu Pule, Motaung said that, contrary to media reports, the Bafana technical team knew about the youngster's whereabouts as the Chiefs medical staff were working on his injury.

"Their story that they don't know where Jabu is does not exist. That was just an excuse to exclude him.

"But Jabu will not regret that he did not show up for training because he was not going to be selected in any case," Motaung said.

The inclusion of Pirates midfielder Thabo Mngomeni, who has been out of competitive football for three months following his suspension by the PSL's disciplinary committee, has also raised eyebrows.

Squad:

Goalkeepers - Hans Vonk, SC Heereenveen FC (Holland); Andre Arendse, Santos; Brian Baloyi, Kaizer Chiefs.

Defenders - Bradley Carnell, VfB Stuttgart (Germany); Aaron Mokoena, Germinal Beerschot (Belgium); Frank Schoeman, no team; Matthew Booth, Sundowns; Pierre Issa, Watford (England); Mbulelo Old-John Mabizela, Orlando Pirates; Jacob Lekgetho, Lokomotiv Moscow (Russia).

Midfielders - Sibusiso Zuma, FC Copenhagen (Denmark); Delron Buckley, VfL Bochum (Germany); Quinton Fortune, Manchester United (England); Dillon Sheppard, Ajax Cape Town; Bennett Mnguni, Sundowns; Thabo Mngomeni, Orlando Pirates; M a cBeth Sibaya, Jomo Cosmos; Eric Tinkler, Barnsley (England).

Strikers - Shaun Bartlett, Charlton Athletic (England); Benedict McCarthy, FC Porto (Portugal); Bradley August, Santos; Siyabonga Nomvete, Udinese (Italy).