Bafana Bafana Broos

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. Image: @AugustusPiloo_ / Twitter

Broos: I won’t be ‘killed’ by critics like Pitso Mosimane has been

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says he won’t allow critics to put pressure on him, citing the situation facing Pitso Mosimane at Al Ahly.

Bafana Bafana Broos

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. Image: @AugustusPiloo_ / Twitter

Hugo Broos recently cut the Bafana squad from 37 to 23 as he unveiled the group that will be considering for selection ahead of the clash against Morocco in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in June.

It’s a make-or-breaking period for Bafana and Broos, with the Belgian coaching having faced some widespread criticism after South Africa failed to progress in the World Cup qualifiers, while they were completely outclassed by France in a recent friendly.

READ | KOMPHELA SLAMS AL AHLY PLAYERS FOR LACKING CLASS, RESPECT

There have also been several questions marks over his selection decisions. However, Broos batted away any criticism as he drew a comparison with Pitso Mosimane, who has faced a sudden backlash after Al Ahly disappointingly finished as CAF Champions League runners-up after losing 2-0 to Wydad Athletic Club in the final.

“I don’t understand why suddenly there were so many critics, but I can assure you that those critics don’t affect me because it is shortsighted and cheap,” Broos said, as quoted by Sowetan Live.

“I can assure [people] that it doesn’t affect me, it doesn’t put pressure on me, but it motivates me. It motivates me to prove all these people wrong, and this is part of the job of a trainer.”

 “What I see happening with Pitso [Mosimane] in Egypt — he won the Champions League twice, but (then) they ‘killed’ him because he lost the final, and that’s life.

“I’ll go on working and I will try to qualify us for Afcon next year. I am sure we are able to do it. We are in a group of three teams with Morocco and Liberia, and it is a bit different from the World Cup qualifiers.”

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Meanwhile, Broos recently declared that “playtime is finished” as he explained the decision to overlook certain players, and below is a recap of all his controversial comments.

The Bafana boos explains why he continues to overlook Themba Zwane and Andile Jali, despite the latter being nominated for five PSL awards:

“Last year when I selected my first squad, everyone was asking my ‘why didn’t you select ‘Njabulo Ngcobo, he is the best defender’ and look what to him at Kaizer Chiefs, he doesn’t play… Don’t focus on Jali has five nominations and Zwane has this, but I’m looking through them, I look through them.

“I said it from the beginning and I’ve said it now and I’ll say it in two years when I’m still here, I’m very sorry but I don’t see why I should select Jali or Zwane.”

Broos comments on the omission of Siyanda Xulu, who is without a club after leaving Hapoel Tel Aviv:

“I can’t have players who don’t play and don’t have the tempo of the game, we are going to play in Morocco in three weeks. Morocco have only one player who plays in their local competition, all the rest are in Europe, playing for Juventus, Sevilla, Bayern Munich. They have the rhythm of European football. Xulu is a very important guy for the group but I can’t do that (select him). Playtime is finished now.”

The coach also explained why he continues to overlook Bongani Zungu:

“I see what happened (with him) in France. I am very sorry but this is not a guy who has to be with our group – for the moment. I don’t speak only about his qualities as a player, but when you see the troubles he had with Amiens this year, he didn’t play in half of the games because there was trouble.

“It was not because he was not good enough but because there were troubles. Three or four months ago, the trainer and the chairman of the club wanted to get him away.What is important is the attitude and the mentality of the player. One player can mess up everything because he doesn’t have the right mentality. For the moment, I will not pick Zungu, because when I see what happened at Amiens, it can happen here, and that I don’t want.”

Broos offers controversial reasoning for leaving out Royal AM’s Victor Letsoalo:

“Letsoalo scores penalties, so he’s not so good anymore for a striker.”

READ | THEMBINKOSI LORCH’S INCREDIBLE ORLANDO PIRATES GOAL-SCORING RECORD

HERE IS THE BAFANA BAFANA SQUAD NAMED BY BROOS:

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Bruce Bvuma, Veli Mothwa

Defenders: Terrence Mashego, Taariq Fielies, Sydney Mobbie, Khuliso Mudau, Bandile Shandu, Innocent Maela, Lyle Lakay, Grant Kekana, Thibang Phete.

Midfielders: Goodman Mosele, Sphelele Sithole, Yusuf Maart, Phathutshedzo Nange

Forwards: Thembinkosi Lorch, Percy Tau, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Lyle Foster, Evidence Makgopa, Khanyisa Mayo, Fagrie Lakay