Broos: I Hope I Don’t Need Players On Standby
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has admitted that balancing the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has been tricky, after naming three players on standby — though he hopes he will not need to call on them.
Broos has listed Mamelodi Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners, Kaizer Chiefs attacker Mdu Shabalala and Stellenbosch defender Thabo Moloisane as standby options should anything go wrong during the tournament in Morocco.
The former AFCON-winning coach with Cameroon made it clear that the standby trio will not travel with the team to Morocco. Instead, they will remain in South Africa because it would be difficult to have them training with the squad daily when they are not officially part of the group.
Broos also omitted key midfielder Themba Zwane, who misses out as he has only recently returned from injury.
Zwane made a brief appearance over the weekend as Sundowns drew with Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger in the CAF Champions League group stage in Algeria, but Broos believes he is not fit enough for AFCON despite the crucial role he played in Bafana’s bronze-medal run at last year’s tournament in Ivory Coast.
“We will ask them to stay in shape, to train and not as usual,” said Broos as he announced his squad from the SABC Sport studios on Monday.
“To keep in good condition because at any moment something can happen and we have to make a plan.
“That’s why I selected three players to be on standby. I don’t want to take them with me because then you would have 28 players in training sessions, and it’s not easy to work like that.
“That’s why I will ask them to remain on standby — and let’s hope we don’t need them, because that would mean we have a problem with an injury.
“But on the other hand, I hope for them that there will still be a possibility to come to Morocco.”
Bafana Bafana, drawn in Group B, will face Angola, Zimbabwe and Egypt.
They will open their campaign against Angola at the Stade de Marrakech on 22 December, followed by a showdown with record champions Egypt — led by Mohamed Salah — on 26 December at Stade Adrar in Agadir.
Their final group match will be against Zimbabwe in Marrakech three days later.
