The South African senior national team coach Hugo Broos has taken a swipe at Andile Jali after allegations that the Mamelodi Sundowns’ star arrived at training reeking of alcohol.
Jali, a former Bafana Bafana strongman, has not been part of the Sundowns team since the allegations were levelled against him and teammate Sipho Mbule.
Broos was lamenting the declining standards of local football when he mentioned Jali: “We have to improve, there are a lot of things that are still not professional – I was frustrated when I heard that a player like Andile Jali, who has to show the young players what and how to do things, was alleged to have arrived at the club training session drunk – come on.”
In the same breath, he praised Jali’s teammate, the young Cassius Mailula for his bravery. “In the beginning I was sceptical about Cassius. He has one very big quality – do not give him a chance in the 18 area because it will be a goal. He came in as a substitute against Stellenbosch. I was sitting on the stands and Helman Mkhalele said to me it’s a goal for Sundowns and
Mailula scored.
“It’s an unbelievable quality he has. Maybe he is still a bit young to throw him into the lions’ den. But to have someone like him on our bench is something we did not have before, a young guy who can still progress.”
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
