Hugo Broos' youth policy has its place and is even necessary but Bafana Bafana might need just a few more experienced heads if they are to make an impact — if they get there — at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), says Lucas Radebe.
The former Bafana and Leeds United captain said Mamelodi Sundowns midfielders Andile Jali and Themba Zwane could definitely bring a more competitive edge to the Broos’ young Bafana.
Qualification for Nations Cups — a prerequisite for any team that takes itself seriously as a continental powerhouse — has long since been a formality for long-ailing Bafana. Radebe believes SA should progress past the group they were drawn in this week in Randburg of Morocco, Zimbabwe and Liberia.
He has reason to. Bafana's 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifying campaign was their best for the generally more stringent global showpiece in some time. Broos’ young SA showed fearlessness and energy that made up for lack of experience as many headline players were omitted, exiting the group stage on the same points (13) and goal difference (+4), but just less goals scored, as eventual qualifiers Ghana.
Finding a coach brave enough — as Broos also was winning the 2017 Afcon with a young Cameroon — to deploy young players, letting them gain experience and caps and grow together into a hopefully formidable outfit, is something SA has cried out for after two decades of underachievement by Bafana.
It is also something of a desperation move, directed as part of the appointment of Broos by the SA Football Association (Safa), to try to reverse the effects of decades of neglect of any co-ordinated development strategy in SA soccer by the country's administrators.
And the fragility of that exercise seemed cruelly exposed when Bafana took their 5-0 hammering against France in Lille last month. There are international friendlies, and there are international friendlies — Didier Deschamps' super-slick world champions France were in mean mood warming up for a defence of their title at the 2022 Qatar World Cup in December. But Bafana's lack of one or two more experienced heads, and some of Broos’ continued strange selections, seemed detrimental.
Broos has come across as something of a law unto himself in his first months in SA with his fights with Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches and selections. It's fine while it works, but many a Bafana coach has felt the backlash of such an approach when results start to go against them.
Broos has made exceptions where he has felt the team needed experience, aggression and muscle, such as the call-up of Orlando Pirates' 32-year-old midfielder Thabang Monare, while previously Kaizer Chiefs' Sifiso Hlanti, 31, was employed at left-back. So why not the best central midfielder and potentially player, Jali, 32, in the PSL this season; and best creative influence, Zwane, 32?
Radebe is not necessarily among the many ex-players and PSL coaches calling for the best team to be picked regardless of age. He sees the need to rebuild. But some tweaks could be beneficial, he said.
“I think we can argue that we need for us to do well and get consistency — winning games and instil that winning mentality,” he said.
“Yes, we are preparing for the future too and have to keep that in mind. But most of the teams we see in that draw have a majority of players based overseas.
“Maybe we can qualify [with youth] but once you get to the tournament it will be very tough. And I think we saw it when we played France.
“I think it's better when you have that support in terms of senior players. Jali and Zwane can come in and do that.”
Broos’ apparent reluctance to call up Sundowns players has also been confusing. Downs are one of the few shining lights of SA football, competing as they do in the Caf Champions League group and knockout stages every year since winning the competition in 2016, and Bafana teams should be built around that as much as possible.
In Group K, Morocco are easily the favourites. The wealthy North African football nation are an example to SA soccer for the manner in which they pour resources into youth infrastructure. Yet results have been tight between the two — Bafana have won twice and Morocco once, with three draws.
Zimbabwe have talented players but uncertainty over a head coach and off-field problems — they are suspended by Fifa over government interference — have weakened the Warriors. Bafana beat them 1-0 home and away in the Qatar qualifiers. Zim may not even be in the Nations Cup qualifiers if the their FA cannot overturn the ban, which would leave a three-team group, with Liberia the supposed weak side and two to qualify.
Liberian football had its heyday when Africa's only World Player of the Year winner (1995), George Weah, led them to Nations Cup qualifications in 1996 and 2002. They lost on penalties in the preliminary round to Chad in the 2021 Afcon qualifiers.
“I think 'it's a good group for us,” Radebe said. “We've played Morocco before and beaten them.
“And no disrespect to Zim and Liberia, because they can be tricky. I think this is a good group for us to start strong and showcase what SA's intention is at Afcon by winning it.”
Whoever Broos picks, if SA cannot progress past a Nations Cup group where the draw was relatively kind to them, it would be yet another clarion call to both Safa and the PSL that their politicking and lack of a clear strategy for development of players needs a complete overhaul. Another alarm that, like all those that came before, would almost certainly be ignored again.
But Broos' youth strategy, if the coach can see his way past an apparent stubbornness to a few tweaks, can yield results in the qualifiers, and perhaps even in Ivory Coast next year.
The Afcon qualifiers start in June.
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