Cape Town - How much longer must Hugo Broos fight for Bafana Bafana to be the most important entity in South African football?
Some of the things the 70-year-old Belgian has to endure just to put a squad together are nothing short of ridiculous.
Just last week, Broos named a 23-man squad to take on Morocco in the opening match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on June 9, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Of course, not everybody would be happy with the squad, which is normal for almost any sports team, but you’ve got to applaud the veteran mentor for continuing to pick fresh young talent instead of experienced players who failed to help Bafana qualify for previous tournaments.
Evidence Makgopa, Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Lyle Foster represent the new generation that must lead South Africa to the 2023 Afcon, backed up by the likes of hardened pros such as Lyle Lakay, Thembinkosi Lorch, Innocent Maela and Percy Tau – and Broos should not have to explain at every press conference why he is not selecting someone like Andile Jali and Themba Zwane.
But more importantly, Broos needs to receive the necessary support from the PSL clubs to ensure that Bafana can prosper once more and eventually make it to the 2026 Fifa World Cup in North America.
The SA coach bemoaned the battles he’s had to have players released for international friendlies. He rightfully took aim at the DStv Compact Cup that was played in January, telling SABC Sport in a TV interview that the PSL season could have been finished well ahead of time that would have allowed him to arrange a Bafana match before the Morocco Afcon qualifier.
Instead, the league season only concluded this week with SuperSport United’s 2-0 win over Orlando Pirates on Monday, while there were also four games played last week.
“We have a six-week break in January… I ask myself why? Why do you need it? In my country, okay because it can snow, it can freeze, the temperature is low, but here it’s summer,” Broos said.\
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“So, four weeks (mid-season break) is enough I think, and then they organise a stupid competition (Compact Cup) where the people can choose the players for the team, the trainers for the team, because it’s six-week break.
“I’m very sorry, when I see that, I ask myself, ‘But please guys, what are you doing?’
“So, if there are four weeks, every coach will be happy in this country. Now they have six weeks, what are we going to do in six weeks? So if there are four weeks, everything should be finished now. That is planning, that is organisation, this is professionalism.
“I am very sorry, but when I see that again, I don’t have to fight now here. They have to play three games, when are they going to play that?
“Then you have to play it in the Fifa period, in preparation for the national team for a very important game in Morocco.”
Broos has also complained continuously about how he is unable to meet with the 16 PSL coaches to discuss his plans for Bafana, and how they could assist him with developing talent and identifying potential national team players.
Broos went on to explain that the Moroccans are facing the United States in a friendly in Cincinnati on Wednesday (1.30am Thursday morning SA time) in preparation for the Bafana game, while his team won’t be in action before June 9.
So, it seems as if Broos has to continue to beg and plead with local clubs to work in harmony with Bafana to ensure that the national team make it on the world stage and rekindle the glory years when they won the 1996 Afcon and qualified for the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
Just when will PSL clubs and coaches help Bafana Bafana and Broos?
@AshfakMohamed