New Safa director aims to fix ties between Broos and PSL coaches

Newly appointed SA Football Association (Safa) technical director Walter Steenbok is determined to improve the poor relationship between Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos and Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches.

Since being appointed national team coach in May 2021‚ Broos has been trying to have a meeting with PSL coaches but has been frustrated in his efforts to arrange one.

The notoriously poor relationship between Safa and the PSL has apparently been part of the stumbling block.

After his appointment‚ Steenbok said one of the first things he plans to do is to try to understand the challenges between Broos and PSL coaches as the success of the national team depends on a good relationship between them.

“A lot of emotional intelligence will be needed [to resolve the situation]‚” Steenbok said. “We need the PSL for many reasons. They [PSL coaches] are my colleagues and part of the plan is to try to find out if we can have a technical study group that really analyses the PSL.

“That’s because the PSL has an impact on the national game. It is important the relationship between the national team coach and professional coaches is in a good state.

“I would really encourage and would take it upon myself as one of the things I need to fix‚ so I can find out what are the challenges on that side [the PSL] and this side [Safa] so we can have a better SA.”

Steenbok‚ a former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns scout‚ said Safa and the PSL need to co-ordinate their calendars to allow national team coaches to have the best players for every tournament.

He said it was unacceptable that Bafana are not able to qualify for tournaments such as the African Nations Championship (Chan).

SA in September lost 6-1 on aggregate to Angola in a Chan qualifier‚ where Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele had some decent players available but only had a full squad the day before the 4-1 second-leg loss at Dobsonville Stadium.

Tournaments such as Chan are played outside Fifa international dates‚ so PSL clubs are not obliged to release their players to the national team.

Broos last week slammed the PSL for staging the Carling Black Label Cup during the Fifa World Cup in November‚ as he believes that Fifa date should be used to have Bafana players in camp or playing friendly matches.

“Maybe in the liaison meeting with the PSL‚ we need to try to have a synchronised calendar and try to find gaps‚” Steenbok said.

“I know for this season it’s a bit difficult with Qatar 2022 [World Cup] because everything is a bit cramped‚ where the national team coaches will have a space within the PSL calendar where they can release players for longer camps.”