Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos’ demeanour and body language is that of a man who has reached his destination and achieved his ambition well ahead of his team. While the South African players, Safa and the supporters are still hung-over from the recent success that he has brought to Bafana, picking the nation up from a state of abyss and turning Bafana into a force on the continent, a different Broos seems to have emerged in that journey lately.
With the South African coach still a little punch-drunk from the recent success and wanting more in terms of results, performance and domination, Broos seems to be on a quantum leap to the opposite direction – the hopes of the nation and Broos’ posture are no longer aligning. Things changed drastically after he achieved his major goal and biggest mandate – that of qualifying Bafana for a World Cup spot in 16 years and 22 years after they last booked their ticket via actual qualifications, and not automatically as hosts in 2010.
The facts and the stats are there; the results and the hunger are no longer the same. The same tigerish Broos who took over in 2021 and discarded Bafana favourites such as Thulani Tyson, Itumeleng Khune, Thulani Serero, Kamogelo Mokotjo, Kermit Erasmus and started a new team from scratch, with his bare hands, is fading away and counting down to his pension days.
It’s normal; people his age are always very cautious and calculated – he is looking at the bigger picture – to pack his bags and go back home with his pride and record intact. That’s why he took such an ultra-defensive strategy against Mexico on Thursday in that meek 2-0 loss at the Azteca Stadium. Madala is still convinced that they played a good game. Blimey!
Well, it’s as clear as a tooth gap that he did not want to be remembered as the coach who got a major sjamboking in the opening match with billions of earthlings around the planet watching and feeling sorry for his charges. Again that’s why, for the time since he took over, he played with five defenders and three holding midfielders.Well, and again, he achieved his personal goal, but at the expense of the nation that has grown to love him so much. In the process, he denied the young Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis a chance to shine on the global stage. Broos always wants our players to go play in Europe, but he keeps them on the bench when the opportunity arises. This is all the while when the likes of Lamine Yamal, Nico O’Reilly and Desire Doue, to mention but a few, will be carrying the hopes of their nations on their tiny but capable shoulders.
Broos has even said that he is retiring after this World Cup co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the USA. He recently said that at the age of 74, it was time to go back to Belgium to spend time with his wife and grandkids. He went as far as even suggesting his successor, Helman Mkhalele, whom he publicly declared love for in public. “I love Helman; he is the heartbeat of the team; he is the reason that we have achieved so much in the last couple of years,” Broos told the media after another feather in his cap, a bronze medal in the 2023 Afcon in Ivory Coast.
Maybe we should have taken that as a veiled hint that he was edging closer to his destination and not taken things at face value. We should have perhaps interrogated his musings because Thursday’s performance against a weak Mexico team, which was even booed by their own supporters, with a two-man advantage nogal, was a shame. I was so excited about this World Cup after a lengthy absence, but my appetite has been spoilt.
- South African coach Hugo Broos achieved his major goal by qualifying Bafana Bafana for the World Cup, their first qualification in 16 years through actual qualifiers.
- Since reaching this milestone, Broos’ approach has become more cautious and defensive, exemplified by a meek 2-0 loss to Mexico using ultra-defensive tactics.
- Broos is perceived as distancing himself from the team’s future, possibly preparing for retirement at age 74 after the World Cup to return to Belgium.
- His defensive strategies have limited young talents like Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis from gaining valuable exposure on the global stage.
- Despite past successes and affection from the nation, recent performances have disappointed supporters, raising concerns about the team’s direction under Broos.
