Broos Stamps Authority On Bafana Squad Selection
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has strongly laid down the law to club owners, chairmen, and other high-ranking officials from Betway Premiership teams, who always want to have a say in the national team’s squad selection.
Broos, who was appointed in May 2021, has always been under scrutiny from the South African football fraternity at large whenever he announces his squad, with many voicing their opinions on who deserves to be in the team more than certain selected players.
Recently, the Belgian mentor was faced with a slight conundrum as he confirmed the exclusion of TS Galaxy defender Khulumani Ndamane due to not possessing a passport.
The Rockets’ chairman Tim Sukazi came out days later saying the issue was resolvable and the player should have been picked.
Additionally, last month, Sukazi claimed some of his team’s players deserve a Bafana call-up but they are overlooked. Now, the 72-year-old tactician stamped his authority on the national team selection, stating that he is the only one in charge regarding call-ups despite facing criticism.
“You know, club owners or chairmen [always want to have a say]. When a player is ready, I will call him even if he’s from Chippa United, Polokwane City, Mamelodi Sundowns, or whatever, that’s the same thing. Secondly, it will only be me who will choose who’s in the national team,” said Broos.
“And you can say all that you want all the time to the newspaper, radio, television, or whatever. If I don’t want to call up a player I will not call him up. All these players are here because they deserve it, not because one journalist or a chairman wants them to be in the national team.”
Moreover, Broos says he won’t budge and choose players because they are fan favorites or represent a specific club in the domestic league, asserting that his squad selection is based on merit not on favoritism.
“And I think it’s been four years since I’ve been here [in South Africa] now and everybody knows that I don’t listen to all those things – I just do what I want, and I just choose who I want, ” added the 2017 AFCON winner, who led South Africa to a third-place finish in the 2023 edition.
“So, stop telling me that some players deserve to be in the team or there have to be more players from that club, stop with that. They will be there when they deserve it.”
Bafana will tackle Lesotho at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday, before travelling to Ivory Coast to face Benin at a neutral venue at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium four days later.
Broos’ men are currently in second place, level on seven points with leaders Rwanda and third-placed Benin.
