We demand qualification for next Afcon and success in the World Cup qualifiers, says Safa boss Jordaan

Safa president Danny Jordaan has revealed the mandate that has been given to Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.

The 69-year-old Belgian was appointed in May but has not taken his seat on the bench, as he returned home for his second Covid-19 vaccination soon after his appointment.

Broos has been conspicuous by his absence in the intervening months and missed Bafana’s friendly against Uganda at Orlando Stadium in June‚ and also did not play a role in the team’s participation in the Cosafa Cup competition in Gqeberha in July.

He finally gets a chance to show what he is all about when Bafana face Zimbabwe in an away 2022 World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe on Friday, and in Monday's equally tricky outing against Ghana at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Monday. 

Jordaan has expressed that Broos is expected to guide the national team to the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Afcon finals.

“His contract is until 2026, which means it's the next World Cup [after next year's event in Qatar]," he said.

“And so what we will demand from him is qualification for the next Afcon [Africa Cup of Nation) and the next World Cup qualifiers.

“This is the beginning of that path and it happens to be a World Cup qualifier. But no team plays in any tournament or in any qualification without the desire to actually win it or to qualify. This he understands and we understand.”

Jordaan said he is pleased that the Belgian tactician is rebuilding Bafana in the same way he did in Cameroon when he coached the West Africans. He ushered the older generation of players out the door and introduced a youthful regime that went on to win the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations under the Belgian's guidance.

“Nobody gave that team a chance in Cameroon or outside the country. He brought those young boys in and they won the Afcon,” he said.

“All of a sudden Cameroon had a new generation of players.

“When he started he had to also bring an end to all those great players in Cameroon who were over 30 [years old].

Jordaan applauded the former Cameroon coach for taking a bold step and ushering in a new era.

“It was also towards the end of the career of players like Samuel Eto'o and Rigobert Song,” he said.

“These are giants in Cameroonian football, and he started afresh with a young team.”

The Safa president said he is excited by Broos's squad and crossing his fingers that they deliver when they face a talented and physical Zimbabwean team.

“The majority of the players [were] part of the Cosafa Cup [squad] where they played against Senegal, Cameroon and Zambia,” he said.

“The other half of the team comes from the Olympics, where they played against Japan and France. They showed that they can compete.

“You could not ask for a greater challenge than the opening match of the World Cup qualifiers, away from home against the neighbouring country.

“They are both talented and physical, so it's going to be a huge challenge for them. That's where we have to start and that's the first challenge they have to face.”