Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says that the criticism and the flak that he’s been getting lately, especially after the 5-0 walloping from France, does not affect him at all. Instead he is focused on fine-tuning his team to qualify for the 2023 AFCON.
Broos was speaking at the Bafana camp where they are training and preparing for their opening qualifying match against Morocco on 9 June.
Bafana players and Broos were heavily criticised when they allowed world champions France to roll all over them without putting up a fight in their last international friendly. The SA players were seen taking selfies with the French superstars after the match.
“I thought we had a successful World Cup qualifying campaign but with a disappointing end. After the Ghana match, there was some criticism that we got, it was okay. But after the France friendly, it got worse but it does not worry me. It was cheap criticism and very short-sighted. It does not affect me and it does not put pressure on me. In fact, it motivates me to prove the critics wrong. Look at Pitso Mosimane, the people in Egypt liked him but after losing in the final, they are killing him today. It’s part of coaching and I have been coaching for 35 years now and I am experienced,” said Broos.
“Now it’s the beginning of a new chapter and it starts today. It was a new, young and inexperienced team. In the six matches we played, we won four, drew one and lost one. In all SA qualifying campaigns before, Bafana have not reached 13 points, the best they reached was 12 points. That goal against Ghana killed us but the young players are experienced now and they will know how to handle tough situations,” he added.
Broos explained further: “Morocco are going to be tough opponents, they have 24 players who are playing in the best leagues in Europe. Only one player is playing in the local league and that is the goalkeeper. But we have to compete and I’m always hoping to have a good start in the first match and avoid a defeat – it makes it better for the coming games and it gives you confidence.”
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