In the lead-up to the highly anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast, South Africa's head coach, Hugo Broos, has unveiled the crucial task assigned to him by the South African Football Association (SAFA).
As the national team gears up for the prestigious tournament, Broos disclosed that his primary objective is to propel the South African squad forward.
The experienced head coach outlined his distinctive approach to player selection, shedding light on a criterion that prioritizes compatibility and performance over global club affiliations.
Broos emphasized that a player's alignment with his tactical system and the ability to deliver on the field take precedence over the prestige of donning jerseys for European giants such as PSG or Bayern Munich. In a bold statement, he asserted that irrespective of a player's club pedigree, if they fail to integrate into his strategic framework or meet his performance expectations, they won't find themselves on the call-up list.
"SAFA hired my services without 56 million people involved. They asked me to take the national team forward. They never told me that they also hired other 56 million coaches to coach Bafana Bafana," he said.
"Now people coach to me and ask why did you not pick that player who plays for that club. As long I am here I pick whoever delivers for me. You can play for PSG, Bayern etc, if you not a fit to my system you won't be called up," he added.
South Africa is in Group E with Namibia, Mali and Tunisia.