Safa president Jordaan believes faith in Bafana coach Hugo Broos is paying off

South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan is pleased they backed Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos amid some criticism as the Belgian tactician starts to deliver on his promises.

Broos has been in the hot seat for two years and his tenure has seen a fair share of public and media questioning most of his decisions.

His youth emphasis was largely supported, though Broos’s rigidity in spurning selection for some star players over 30 raised eyebrows, as did the occasions when the coach made exceptions to that rule for some players, but not others.

Broos has won support for broadening his selection base beyond bigger clubs. Players such as US-based Bongokuhle Hlongwane, who was called up from previous club Maritzburg United, and TS Galaxy’s Bathubi Aubaas, who had an excellent debut in Saturday’s 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations shock win over Morocco, are notable examples. 

Broos’s young Bafana ran Ghana close in the 2022 World Cup qualifying group phase, and a still youthful team, that has a few more senior performers drafted in, has qualified for the Cup of Nations in January and February. 

Speaking during a breakfast send-off for Women’s World Cup-bound Banyana Banyana in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Jordaan said Safa is satisfied overall with Broos’s work so far.   

“I think coach Hugo Broos has gone through many criticisms,” he said.

“From the first moment he came in he said he is not going to select [over] 30-year-olds and out went our star players.

“Players such as Itumeleng Khune, Bongani Zungu, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Andile Jali, and so the list goes on.

“He brought players in that most coaches didn’t know of and he built the team.

“Even now when you look at the team, there are players there that are not playing regularly for their clubs, so it’s clear the coach has a particular understanding of the kind of player and team that he wants.”

Safa’s president believes Broos has successfully created a style of play and philosophy for Bafana and knows how to get the best out of his players and improve them.

He said Bafana’s 2-1 victory over the continent’s top-ranked national team Morocco at FNB Stadium is testament to the direction Broos has taken.   

“One thing that was clear on Saturday was the commitment and the energy.

“I hadn’t seen [Bafana] midfielders sprint back to defend when they lost the ball. It’s almost a Barcelona philosophy.

“Every attacker, when you lose the ball, becomes the defender. Whether it was Percy Tau or Teboho Mokoena, look at the video of how they sprint back to defend. Total commitment and energy from the players.

“I think, not just me but many South Africans are satisfied with the performance of Bafana, they have hope again and now there are finishing touches for Broos.

“But you can see what he has been building over two years. It’s something we hope will make the nation proud again.”

Broos has been in charge of 17 matches since he took over Bafana. His record is fairly impressive, having won 10 of those, drawn four and lost three.

Jordaan said Safa have lined up two friendlies in September to help Bafana prepare for the Cup of Nations and two 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November.

However, he couldn’t confirm the opponents for those friendlies, saying the association still needs to discuss the details with the coach.

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