'You cannot force someone to love or support you': Bafana striker Makgopa on criticism

Bafana Bafana forward Evidence Makgopa is not bothered by the criticism levelled against him. Instead, the player is hell-bent on repaying the faith coach Hugo Broos has shown in him.    

Makgopa is part of the South African team at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast.

The team is set to take on Cape Verde in a quarterfinal match at Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro on Saturday (10pm SA time).        

Makgopa has not enjoyed much support from South Africans back home.    

He has been criticised for not being able to score in the group stages, with his critics overlooking any other contributions he might have made to get Bafana to the knockouts.    

The Orlando Pirates striker silenced his critics when he played a crucial role in Bafana beating pre-tournament favourites Morocco in the last 16.    

The forward scored the opening goal in South Africa's 2-0 victory over the north African giants in San Pedro, with the other goal coming from Teboho Mokoena.    

Speaking ahead of the crucial game against Cape Verde, where the two nations will be fighting for a spot in the Afcon’s last four, Makgopa addressed the criticism.    

“I think you cannot force someone to love you and you cannot force someone to support you,” Makgopa told media in Yamoussoukro.    

“For me, I think I just have to take it as it is and move forward and play football.    

“I have a coach (Broos) that believes in me. When the coach called me, people were already questioning why (he chose) this player?     

“For the fact that the coach called me, I’m here to do the job, I’m here to play and I’m going to play my heart out for him,” he said.    

“I’m going to do whatever I have to do for the coach because he believes in me.”    

Bafana players are highly motivated to go all the way in the tournament and the fact that Broos won this tournament in 2017 with Cameroon gives them reason to believe they can.   

“All the players are motivated, and we want to be one of the teams that will contest in the semifinals of the tournament,” Makgopa said.    

“The coach has the experience of winning the Afcon and the other thing is that our coach has that belief in us as a team. We have a good relationship with him, and I think that is going to help us going forward.”