Bafana coach Broos hopes Maswanganyi can fill Zwane’s big boots

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is hoping exciting Orlando Pirates creative midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi can fill the big boots of the irrepressible Themba Zwane in future. 

Zwane, who is the midfield kingpin for Bafana, is 34 and it is unlikely he will make it to the 2026 Fifa World Cup to be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada if Bafana qualify. 

Zwane was one of the key players for Bafana during their successful Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) campaign where they finished in third place in Ivory Coast. 

Maswanganyi, 25, has been in good form for Pirates this season in 19 appearances, with three goals and two assists in the DStv Premiership, and Broos has included him in his 23-member squad for the Fifa Series pilot project in Algeria later this month. 

“From what I have seen from him, he can be the one for the future,” said Broos. 

“I saw him play last Wednesday and after the game I spoke to Helman (Mkhalele) about him and I saw him again on Saturday in the Soweto derby where he played a good game. 

“This is what I want to see from him in Bafana. If he can achieve that level with us, he can be someone for the future and someone who can replace Themba Zwane.

“I am not thinking about replacing Themba for now but we have to plan for it because he will be around 36 or 37 in 2026. Let’s hope Maswanganyi is the one and we have solved that problem for the future. 

Broos said he doesn’t see any problem with the fact that Maswanganyi is 25. 

“If he is good enough, at 25 he can play for the next seven years. It is not like you are 32 and finished. You are good for 2026 if he is really the guy. I prefer younger but there is Oswin Appollis and Elias Mokwana and those guys are 22 and 23.” 

“Him being 25 is not the problem. It starts to be a problem when the player is 28 or 29 because that will mean he will be over 30 when we play in the World Cup in 2026.”

Broos also urged “interesting” Pirates youngster Relebohile Mofokeng to continue working hard and wait for his chance. 

“If you are talk about Mofokeng of Pirates, we have looked at him and he is a young and interesting player. We will see if he can keep his position at Pirates. If he does maybe there will be a moment where we call him. 

“He is very good and it is important we detect this type of players and follow them and in the right moment we will call him.”