Broos hails Bafana progress

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is impressed with Bafana Bafana players’ mentality, saying it has improved dramatically from what it was a year ago.

Broos feels the team could do even better if they play against top-ranked sides on the continent consistently. SA play friendlies against Namibia on Saturday (3pm) and DR Congo on Tuesday (5pm), both at Orlando Stadium.

Bafana, who shocked Africa’s No 1-ranked Morocco in their last 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier three months ago, are on a seven-match unbeaten streak in which they have won five and drawn two. In the process they qualified for the 2023 Afcon in Ivory Coast, to be held in January and February 2024.

This months’ two matches are part of Bafana’s preparation for both 2026 World Cup qualifiers that start in November with their match against Benin, and the Nations Cup. 

“We’ve made a big progression if you compare it with a year ago,” Broos said. “The mentality is totally different. That’s because of the players we have. Those players know now they’re coming to the national team and they’re honoured to be here and they’re hungry. They want results because they wanted to [be in the squad to] go to Afcon. They know that for an African player it’s the most fantastic thing to go to Afcon.”

Broos said he noticed his players’ mentality shifting from late 2022.

“I saw it from September when we played [friendlies in Mbombela] against Mozambique and Sierra Leone. There was a difference in mentality. And I think now if we were to play Ghana [which Bafana lost out to by goals scored and a contested penalty in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers] it would be a different game than what we played nearly two years ago.”

Broos has emphasised all week that the results against Namibia and DR Congo are secondary to giving a chance to players he has not seen yet. Those include French-based striker Lebo Mothiba and Pule Mmodi of Kaizer Chiefs, a late call-up in place of injured Themba Zwane.

“We know we have a plan. I said the winning is not really important. I’m sure I can be happy if we lose having done positive things, certainly from the new players.

“For these two games I will look at the performances and results differently than next month’s games, because those are very important given they are really the preparation games for the World Cup qualifiers in November.”