Broos upbeat about Bafana Bafana’s new generation despite Tanzania draw

Hugo Broos. Photo credit: SAFA

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has shared his assessment of the national team's newcomers following their goalless international friendly against Tanzania on Friday.

Despite the 0-0 draw at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, Broos found plenty of reason for optimism in his new-look squad’s performance.

The match provided a crucial platform for several players to make their Bafana Bafana debut. Among them were Khulumani Ndamane, Renaldo Leaner, Deano Van Rooyen, Simphiwe Salepe, and Nkota Mohau. Notably, Stellenbosch FC star Fawaaz Basadien was handed the captain's armband for the night.

Broos emphasised that the displays from these fresh faces will significantly broaden his and the technical team's selection options as they plan for the future.

The Bafana coach explained his selection strategy and satisfaction: "First of all, the way we select the team is to give players a chance to play for Bafana Bafana, but also to have a balance."

He recounted a moment during team selection: "I remember that the first team we selected when the 11 were on paper, we said, oh, there are seven or eight players from (Orlando) Pirates, and we decided that we are not going to do that. So we needed to find a balance. Like Selepe and Thalente Mbatha, they are used to playing together. So that helped those guys."

He also hinted at similar strategies for upcoming matches, adding, "Next week it will be Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Nkosinathi Sibisi. So we looked at that. So that's the way we select these teams. The performance against Tanzania will give us more choices in the future, younger choices.”

Broos also views these friendly encounters as vital for the squad's rejuvenation. He believes the national team is "getting old" and highlighted the necessity of looking towards the future with younger talent.

"I said before that little by little, Bafana is getting old. So we have to look at the future, and if you look at the performance from the young guys [against Tanzania], you can only be happy," he added.

In addition, Broos admitted his curiosity about the new team's on-field reaction, and he was pleased with what he saw. "Today (Friday), I was just curious in terms of how this team will react on the pitch, and the reaction was good. So I expect the same thing next Tuesday. It will also be important for a good performance. This is what these games are meant for. It's up to the players.”

Bafana will be back in action on Tuesday night when they face Mozambique in their next match, also at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.