Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has revealed that he has a clear picture
of roughly 75-80% of his final squad for the upcoming AFCON tournament in
Morocco, with a handful of critical decisions remaining.
Announcing a 22-man squad for the November friendly against Zambia, Broos
outlined the challenging selection process he faces before naming his final
23-man squad in early December.
“I think it is so difficult to know that, let’s say 75 or 80% of the squad
is known… and the rest, okay we will see what happens in the next month,”
Broos told the media at SAFA House.
The coach pointed to several high-profile omissions from the current
squad—such as Orlando Pirates’ Relebohile Mofokeng and FCSB’s Siyabonga
Ngezana—as evidence of the difficult choices ahead.
“For me, there are some decisions to make… I have to make choices. And
those choices will be made at the moment when I have to make them when I
announce the final 23 but it will not be easy,” Broos admitted.
He contrasted the current situation with the lead-up to the previous AFCON
in Ivory Coast, where Bafana Bafana secured a bronze medal. “It was more
easy two years ago… I didn’t have those problems,” Broos reflected,
acknowledging that the increased depth of talent is a positive challenge for
his role.
South Africa has been drawn in a competitive Group B alongside Egypt,
Angola, and Zimbabwe for the tournament.
Broos’ comments highlight the growing strength and competition for places
within the national team setup, suggesting that his final selection will be
the result of careful deliberation between established performers and
in-form emerging talent.
