Long-awaited Broos-Khoza meeting in the pipeline

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says he hopes to have his long-requested meeting with Premier Soccer League (PSL) chair Irvin Khoza as early as this week.

Broos said SA Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan had indicated the meeting could take place this week. He said he hoped to have the meeting with Khoza as soon as possible to discuss several issues.

These include how the PSL can co-operate better with Safa and Bafana on having players released by clubs for junior teams and tournaments such as the local-based African Nations Championship (Chan) and Cosafa Cup, where Broos hopes to test potential senior national players.

Broos was speaking after announcing his squad on Monday for the friendlies in Algeria against Andorra (March 21) and Algeria (March 26).

“I saw Mr Jordaan on Saturday at the game and he said, ‘OK, this week we will talk to Mr Khoza’,” Broos said, referring to the Pirates-Chiefs derby.

“When, I don’t know — we will see, but I really hope the meeting will take place. But I’ll wait now to have confirmation on when we will see each other.”

Another pressing request Broos wants the PSL to facilitate is a meeting with the 16 PSL coaches.

The Bafana boss was asked why he did not set up individual meetings with each coach. “I don’t want to make 16 trips 16 times to say the same story to a coach.

“How can you progress in your relationship if you go and meet every coach in private, and when he asks something I can only answer to him? There will be no interaction with the other coaches.

“I want them together and everyone will get a chance to say what he needs to — tell it when everyone is there and we can have a discussion.

“This is something I will discuss now with Mr Khoza. But there are other things too,” Broos said.

“We have new players now [in SA football], and these new players you can only see when they play for Bafana because the clubs will not release them for the Olympics [under-23 team] or the qualifiers for the Chan [for local-based teams].

“I can’t always test the players with Bafana because we play in qualifiers. You cannot take the risk that we will not succeed. So they can play a level [below] where they can show their skills and also earn international games. And it will be easier for me to see [that] this one is ready for Bafana.”

Broos has often expressed his frustration that requests made since just after his appointment in May 2021 to meet the PSL leadership and the Premiership coaches via Safa have drawn a blank.

Meanwhile, Broos included Cape Town City striker Khanyisa Mayo in his 23-man squad. Mayo has been overlooked for some time by Broos despite being among the PSL’s top scorers last season and this campaign.

Squad:

Keepers: Ronwen Williams (Sundowns), Bruce Bvuma (Chiefs), Ricardo Goss (SuperSport)

Defenders: Sydney Mobbie (Sekhukhune), Grant Kekana, Aubrey Modiba, Thapelo Morena, Terrence Mashego (all Sundowns), Nkosinathi Sibisi, Tapelo Xoki (both Pirates), Siyabonga Ngezana (FCSB, Romania)

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena (Sundowns), Goodman Mosele (Chippa), Sphephelo Sithole (CD Tondela, Portugal), Grant Margeman (SuperSport)

Forwards: Themba Zwane (Sundowns), Oswin Apollis (Polokwane), Patrick Maswanganyi (Pirates), Mihlali Mayambela (Aris Limassol, Cyprus), Mlondi Mbanjwa (AmaZulu), Khanyisa Mayo (CT City), Iqraam Rayners (Stellenbosch), Elias Mokwana (Sekhukhune).