The advent of social media and easy access to the internet has turned the world upside down. Every Joe Soap, Mashudu and Petros have smartphones and other devices, meaning that they can access the internet – something that can open a world of wonders at the touch of our fingertips. And we all know that access to the internet can make a man feel as free as a bird.
Football followers in the country have also jumped on the bandwagon. They are not letting one opportunity pass them by, and they are getting involved with oomph and a lot of zeal.
This week, Bafana Bafana, who were one of the favourites at the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), were eliminated in the Last 16 by Cameroon, and suddenly, the keyboard warriors were at it again, putting coach Hugo Broos’ cock on the block.
Not only did they want the grey-haired Belgian out of Bafana, but they no longer want him near the team for this year’s Fifa World Cup in June.
The thing is that Broos did not succumb to their bullying ways and did not select particular players that they wanted. The tyrants were tired of the hard truths Broos was dishing out to them; they could not absorb more of his straight talk – it felt like a spear in the heart and was wrongly, or deliberately, interpreted as racist.
Some of them, including one Kaizer Chiefs meathead, went as far as denouncing Bafana and supporting all the teams that would play against South Africa at the Afcon. That was the most idiotic move any South African could pull.
Not so long ago, I can still remember when Bafana were so poor that we would celebrate like crazy when we qualified for Afcon tournaments. In the 2023 edition, Bafana finished third, and going to Morocco, the team had established themselves as one of the big guns.
Under Broos, Bafana are a much better team that registered two defeats in 30 matches. Broos even obliterated Clive Barker’s record of victories and as the longest-serving coach.
His track record with Bafana is clear for all to see and appreciate – especially those who understand the Beautiful Game.
Missed chances and an unlucky deflection in the first goal against Cameroon derailed and cost his team. In fact, the game against Cameroon provided Bafana with their best chance to record a big win against the five-time African champions.
For those long enough in the tooth, it could have been a repeat of the 1996 Afcon opening game at a jam-packed FNB Stadium, where Bafana walloped the Indomitable Lions 3-0 as Phil “Chippa” Masinga, Mark Williams and John “Shoes” Moshoeu ran riot, setting the scene for Bafana to win their first Afcon trophy, but on Sunday in Rabat, the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng, Lyle Foster and Samukelo Kabini had left their scoring boots at home.
The coaching team, and some players, cannot be bad overnight. Broos’ wholesome team selection surely caused instability, and some of the big calls made by the coach in some matches probably impacted on how the team performed in this campaign. The technical team will have to do an evaluation and a thorough assessment.
Broos has stuck to his guns, and upon arrival from Morocco, he took a sizzling strike at some social media platforms, referring to them as trash.
“First of all, I don’t read social media because it’s filled with trash. It’s been four years in the job, and I have never listened to them, nor will I listen to them in my last six months,” Broos told Sunday World.
I agree 100% with the coach; if you follow certain social media platforms, you are bound to end up running around like a headless chicken. Even my geriatric auntie in the mountains of Lekokotfo can start a diski social media page.
