New Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana will have a meeting with AWOL striker Benni McCarthy, this after the Blackburn Rovers star failed to turn up at South Africa's training camp on Monday.

The South Africa squad assembled on Monday, ahead of Sunday's crucial AFCON qualifier against Nigeria in Abuja - but McCarthy was absent, which prompted the new SA coach to get in touch with the player.

Santana and McCarthy spoke on the phone on Tuesday and will have a face-to-face meeting in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

A statement from the South African Football Association read as follows: "Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana has had a telephone discussion with Benni McCarthy over the striker's request to be excluded from the national team training camp ahead of Sunday's crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

"As a consequence of this phone chat, the coach and McCarthy will tomorrow have a face-to-face discussion in Johannesburg. The nature of the player's request remains confidential, but an announcement is expected after the meeting."