New Bafana Bafana defender Tylon Smith has admitted he was overcome with
emotion after learning of his inclusion in Hugo Broos’ final squad for the
upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
The 20-year-old Queens Park Rangers player, along with Shandre Campbell, is
one of only two uncapped players selected for the tournament, which begins
on December 22.
Speaking to the media at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance
Centre, Smith shared the moment he discovered the news while training
abroad.
“First of all, I want to thank the coach for giving me the opportunity to be
part of the team,” Smith said. “I was at training that morning when I found
out it was being announced live on SABC. Since there’s no channel available
there, I went on Facebook on my phone. As I was sitting and heard the coach
say my name, I was so grateful. As a 20-year-old, coming from where I come
from… it’s been a difficult year, but this is a great achievement. I was
emotional, but excited.”
Smith also reflected on his recent move from Stellenbosch FC to English
Championship side QPR, crediting his mental strength for helping him adapt.
“To be honest, it wasn’t difficult for me mentally. I stayed strong. Every
single day in training, I gave it my all—110%. I told myself before each
session: I won’t give up, my time will come. I just kept working hard.
Having people who motivated me also played a big part. Mentally, I was
prepared, and I just focused on working hard every day.”
Bafana Bafana will play an international friendly against Ghana on Tuesday,
December 16 in Gauteng, before departing for Morocco on Wednesday, December
17 to continue their AFCON preparations.
