AFCON squad storm: Broos dismisses all Lorch noise

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has dismissed the intense public and media scrutiny surrounding his decision to exclude Wydad Athletic Club star Thembinkosi Lorch from the final AFCON 2025 squad.

Broos went as far as suggesting that much of the criticism stems from personal bias for Lorch rather than objective football analysis.

Speaking candidly from the team’s final training camp, the Belgian mentor, who opted for younger prospects like Tylon Smith and Shandre Campbell, in his AFCON squad openly mocked the media chatter around the veteran attacker.

“I also read the propositions of the media to take players with the group, and I was laughing. I was really laughing, because this shows again some people in the media are not judging a player on his qualities, but just because he’s a friend of theirs, or maybe they have an advantage to write that in the paper,” Broos stated.

The 73-year-old coach challenged the consistency of the media’s focus, arguing that Lorch’s recent form in Morocco did not erase a long period of inconsistency.

Broos Comments on Loirch Omission From AFCON Bafana Squad

“The last three months, there is only one name that always came back, Lorch, Lorch, Lorch. Did everyone see the performance of Lorch over the last two years? Nobody,” he questioned.

Broos then detailed Lorch’s turbulent career path before his recent relocation to North Africa to justify his decision.

“He played in Orlando Pirates. He was out of the team; they kicked him out… He came to Sundowns, played a few games, and finished. They kicked him out, also. He went to Morocco, first year… Now, suddenly, in the last three months, he played good. Don’t you think that we don’t know that?”

The Bafana coach stressed that his selection process is based purely on technical merit and the player’s ability to fit his tactical requirements.

“But I don’t look at the player like ‘oh yeah, I like Lorch’. No, and look what is his quality, offensively, defensively, can he help the team? When I evaluate that player, I have to say, ‘no, he can’t help us. Finished, done,’” Broos declared, reinforcing his commitment to his uncompromising selection criteria.