Igesund has called up more than 30 players in his first two squads ahead of the Afcon tournament on home soil in January.

The coach has been given a mandate to at least reach the semifinals.

Igesund said he was looking for players willing "to run through walls" when Bafana meet Poland in Warsaw on Friday and Kenya in Nairobi on Tuesday next week.

"I want to see that when they put that jersey on," he said.

"They're going to fight out there, they're going to tackle, they're going to play to win. The beautiful football and keeping the ball - that's going to come only after I get the team for a period of time. Right now, I want to see passion and that the players give everything they've got."

Igesund said he was not expecting late injury withdrawals as he did in his first two friendly internationals - in last month's 1-0 defeat by Brazil in Sao Paulo and the 2-0 win over Mozambique in Nelspruit.

The coach expects a tough test from 54th-ranked Poland. That is why he is likely to field a stronger squad in Warsaw than against the 128th-ranked Kenyans.

"Poland have three players playing for Borussia Dortmund, a couple at Bayern Munich, and players at Arsenal. So it's going to be a very tough test for us," he said.

"I think there's 30-odd players I've had a look at and the next squad I pick is going to have the core that's going to the Afcon."

One man as surprised as everyone to be making the trip to Warsaw and Nairobi is Delron Buckley.

The 34-year-old forward returned from his 18-year stintin Europe to sign for Absa Premiership campaigners Maritzburg United during the off-season.

He had not been called up for Bafana since June 2008.

Buckley's good form has helped steer Maritzburg to fifth place in the league.

"I came back with the intention just to finish off my football career.

"I've done well for Maritzburg and been in top form in the past six games, but the call-up was a big surprise," Buckley admitted.