Cape Town - Bafana Bafana have confirmed the appointment of former national team defender Mark Fish as a player liaison and opposition analyst.

Coach Stuart Baxter was keen to bring the ex-central defender on board in order to gain from his invaluable top level playing experience in Europe.

Fish played for Lazio in Serie A and also was a consistent performer for Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic during his playing days.

In addition, the 45-year-old featured 62 times for Bafana from 1993 until 2004.

The Cape Town-born mentor will join up with the COSAFA Cup squad under coach David Notoane before joining up with the AFCON squad.

Baxter told Soccer Laduma: "We would have liked for Mark to be in Durban with the team for the camp, but there simply isn't enough time.

"So we will go introduce him to the players and give David (Notoane, the under-23 coach) support and then return to Johannesburg for our camp with the AFCON squad."

Fish will assist the Englishman and his technical team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. Bafana are in a tough Group D alongside Ivory Coast, Morocco and Namibia.