Initially left out of Carlos Alberto Parreira’s team to face Chad in a CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier later this month, Chiefs defender Jimmy Tau was surprised by the fact that the Brazilian coach was going to leave him at home as Bafana Bafana prepare to travel to the Central African Nation.

Tau, who played against Swaziland in a midweek training game for Bafana Bafana, thought that he had done enough to have impressed the new national team coach. When Parreira announced his squad at a press conference in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The Amakhosi defender's name was not on the squad list and Tau’s disappointment did not last long as a wide eyed journalist picked up that Bradley Carnell who had been called up to the team, was in actual fact ineligible to participate in the Chad game as he had already collected two yellow cards in the qualifying competition. As a result of being booked against Congo and Zambia, Carnell - himself a former Chiefs player - should not have been included in the squad from the onset.

Instead Tau will take Carnell’s place in the team, much to the delight of the Amakhosi number two who did not hold back his excitement when contacted by kaizerchiefs.com early on Friday morning to inform him of his inclusion in the national team.

After giving off a celebratory scream, Tau eventually composed himself and said; “On Wednesday I had an agreement with the Chiefs website guy that should I be called up to the team, he needs to SMS me immediately from the press conference on Thursday to announce the team. When I met him later on Thursday he showed me the team list and I was surprised that I had not been called up. On Friday morning, when I saw it was the guy from the website on the line I figured that it must be something good and it was.”

After Tuesday’s performance against the Swazis, Tau was looking forward to spending more time with the national team. And with his wish now becoming a reality, the Chiefs defender is not concerned about the fact that his call-up came due to Carnell’s suspension.

“In life, as in football, you need some good fortune. This is what has happened to me right now, and I have the opportunity to once again state my case and demonstrate to the coach that I am serious about holding down a permanent place in the national team.”

Tau will join his Chiefs teammates, goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez and Siyabonga Nkosi, who were also part of the midweek game against the Swazis, as well as Cyril Nzama this Sunday when Bafana Bafana gather to prepare for the journey to Chad. Bafana Bafana’s game against Chad is scheduled to take place on the 24th of March and the Chiefs players are expected back at Naturena on Monday 26th March.