No injuries in Bafana camp in Stellenbosch as they start preparations for Afcon

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has reported that all 23 players for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) squad reported fully fit for camp this week. 

Bafana players converged in Johannesburg on Thursday before flying out to Stellenbosch where they have started preparations for the tournament in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11. 

South Africa kick off their Group E campaign against Mali in Korhogo on January 16 and complete their campaign against Namibia on January 21 and Tunisia on January 24. 

“I am very happy that all 23 players are here and the only thing I can say is that they are all fit and that’s the most important thing,” said Broos, who won Afcon with Cameroon in 2017 in Gabon. 

“It is a full team, we started the training sessions with all the players which is good. Second, maybe it is too soon, but I have the feeling that the players want to start training and to prepare for Afcon.” 

Players reported for camp after four days off and Broos said the short break was good even though it may not have been enough for certain players, especially from Mamelodi Sundowns. 

“The four days players got off was a good thing, there were a lot of players exhausted after the last games of the year and they needed a few days off to be with their families and not think about football. 

“But if you are a football professional, after four or five days, you need the ball again and that’s what I saw with the players at training and it is a good sign. For some players, the five days' rest was enough but for others they needed one week. 

“It was not only physically but also mentally. When I think about the Sundowns players it is not only in the competition but they had tough Champions League matches and travelling all-over Africa. 

“One moment is difficult mentally to get back again to where you have to be to play those games and for those guys maybe five days is not enough. But we will look at what we do at training and I look at the good side.

“I compare that with what I saw in November and there is progression in physical and mental recovery.” 

Broos said he wants to taste Afcon success again. 

“For me it is a special experience winning a big tournament but winning it in Africa and it was a totally different mentality that I had to learn. It was a fantastic experience winning Afcon with Cameroon about six years ago. 

“If you ask me, do you want to do it again, surely I want to do it again but I am looking forward to the games, the atmosphere around the games where everybody will be motivated. 

“It is not about being at the top mentally, it is about quality and we will see our quality at the highest level.”