May 6 – Bafana Bafana have a new manager with Belgian coach Hugo Broos, an AFCON winner, taking on the role to steer South Africa to a brighter future after the country’s recent elimination from next year’s continental finals.
At a virtual news conference in Johannesburg, Broos delivered the message that South Africa must rebuild to come back stronger in the future.
“I am proud and very happy to be the new coach of South Africa. We have to rebuild and build a younger team. I can give you the example of Cameroon. I did the same there; I worked with young players. Young players are motivated and hungry. After South Africa didn’t qualify for the AFCON, I think it is the moment to rebuild,” said Broos.
Next month, South Africa will get their World Cup qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under way with matches against neighbours Zimbabwe and Ghana, but Broos was quick to temper expectations. “We will do everything we can to be qualified for the World Cup next year, but it can be a deception if we don’t,” explained the Belgian.
“Building a new team takes time. For me, the most important thing is what happens after this World Cup – the next AFCON and the World Cup of 2026.”
Broos arrives in South Africa with a storied CV, having won league titles in with Club Brugge twice and once with Anderlecht at home‚ but winning the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations with a young Cameroon remains the biggest feat of his coaching career. That victory gained Broos a lot of respect across the continent, but even so the 69-year old was never the frontrunner for the Bafana role.
His name was reportedly on the shortlist of the technical committee of the South African Football Association (SAFA) alongside household names Carlos Queiroz, former Real Madrid and Iran manager, Benni McCarthy, former South Africa international and coach of Amazulu FC, and Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane. That trio were SAFA’s top candidates to replace Molefi Ntseki‚ who was dismissed as Bafana head coach at the end of March after the national team’s failure to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Most recently Broos was the sporting director and then caretaker-manager at seaside club KV Oostende. Broos is expected to travel to South Africa as early as next week.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1734921574labto1734921574ofdlr1734921574owedi1734921574sni@o1734921574fni1734921574