'There's no Chiefs player who deserves to be in Bafana squad': Hugo Broos

Not one to mince his words, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said no Kaizer Chiefs player deserves to be in the national team as he announced his squad on Wednesday for next month's friendlies.

Bafana meet Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as part of their preparation for the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in November and the African Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast from January 13.

The preparation matches will be played at Orlando Stadium, with Namibia the first fixture on September 9 (3pm) and DRC on September 12 (5pm).

Broos had no place for a player from Chiefs — the country's biggest club in support but which has underachieved, going eight seasons without a trophy — in his final 23-man squad. Three Chiefs players had been included in the coach's 36-man preliminary squad named last week.

In recent years Chiefs have fallen behind six-time successive DStv Premiership champions and regular Caf Champions League knockout stage competitors Mamelodi Sundowns.

Broos said the gap from Sundowns in the league this campaign — Chiefs are 11 points behind the Brazilians, who have 15 points from five outings — indicates the Naturena-based team are not at optimal, even if Amakhosi do have a game in hand.   

“They have a lot of new players and maybe that’s the reason they don’t achieve the level they need to,” he said.

“They are still many points behind Sundowns, and I said that already last year — for any competition it’s important that the top teams are at the top of the rankings.

“OK, Pirates won yesterday [Tuesday] and there’s only an [eight] points’ difference between them and Sundowns.”

Orlando Pirates, who have been in fine form, also have a game in hand on Sundowns. Bucs have four players in the latest Bafana squad.

“With Kaizer Chiefs it’s eight [11] points, I think. This is too much. Only five games and you are already eight [11] points behind the first team and it’s not a little team that is first. 

“So yes, Chiefs have to improve. I saw the games — on Saturday I was at the Chiefs game — and I’m sorry, but at the moment there’s no [Chiefs] player who deserves to be a Bafana Bafana player.”

Chiefs defeated AmaZulu FC 3-0 when Broos was among the spectators at FNB Stadium on Saturday. But that was their first win in the league this season, after recording a draw and two successive defeats.

Chiefs play tricky Stellenbosch FC at Athlone Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm).