Broos’ selection criteria raises questions

By picking Siyanda Xulu and Thabang Monare, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has contradicted himself and set an unsustainable precedent of selecting benchwarmers at club level.

Xulu and veteran Monare, 34, were initially not part of the Bafana team to face Andorra and Algeria in Fifa Series international friendlies in Algeria on Thursday and next Tuesday.

Both games kick off at 11pm SA time at the May 19th Stadium in Annaba and Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.

Xulu, 31, and Monare were called-up to replace Siyabonga Ngezana and Sphephelo Sithole.

According to a SA Football Association statement, the Romania-based Ngezana could not make it because of “travel difficulties”, while Sithole was injured. 

When he announced his squad at the SABC studios last week, Broos indicated he was prepared to blood more young players.

So selecting the ageing Xulu and Monare, who have struggled for game time at their clubs since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), means Broos is reneging on his promise.

The arrival of Keegan Allan and the rise of Ime Ikon, who both would have been sensible replacements for Ngezana, has seen Xulu struggle to start matches at SuperSport United after returning from Afcon.

Xulu has started one of the four league outings Matsatsantsa have played since action resumed after Afcon.

Allan, 22, raised his hand in the Cosafa Cup in August.

Ikon, 20, has previously made Broos’ preliminary squads, but him saying he was also thinking of representing Nigeria instead of Bafana could be one of the reasons Broos has not capped him yet.

Monare, who had not played in almost two months before he made the final Afcon squad, has played a measly 22 minutes in 2024.

Logically, a player such as in-form Bongani Zungu, 31, of Mamelodi Sundowns, would have been an automatic replacement for Sithole, especially because it is becoming evident with each passing Fifa break that younger Njabulo Blom is not Broos’ cup of tea.

When quizzed why he had snubbed Blom again for these friendlies, Broos said it was because the 24-year-old was not playing at his US MLS side St Louis City.

It is understood that Blom has been struggling with a niggle, so he has played just one of his side’s four league outings in the new season. 

Even so, selecting Monare with 22 minutes under his belt in 2024 at club level ahead of a fit Blom, paints a curious picture of Broos’ selection criteria.