‘This is cheap’: Bafana boss Hugo Broos hits back (again) at PSL coaches
Hugo Broos has expressed irritation — again — that some Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches have aired their frustrations about him in the media, saying that doing so “is cheap”.
The straight-talking Bafana Bafana coach has been preparing this week at Dobsonville Stadium for the two big final group stage 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe at FNB Stadium on Thursday and Ghana away on Sunday.
Broos said he would prefer it if PSL coaches spoke to him directly if they had any issues, rather than in the media.
The coach was asked how his relationship is with PSL coaches five months into his new job.
“Listen, I won't talk about it any more. I have said what I said and this is enough for me,” the 69-year-old Belgian said.
He continued, though: “I hope, just hope, that in the future, if they are frustrated or they have questions, I will talk to them — why not?
Orlando Pirates coach expresses concerns about Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
“And I can understand if they have questions or they are frustrated. But I can't understand that you criticise a colleague in front of journalists. This is cheap.
“So for me, this part is finished, it's behind me, and it's over. So for the rest I don't want to give any comment on that.”
Among PSL coaches to have raised issues in the media about Broos was Kaizer Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter, who last week ironically brought up a similar concern. Baxter said he would prefer that the Belgian spoke to the Amakhosi coach directly, rather than in the media, over whether Njabulo Ngcobo was a defender or midfielder.
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This was after Broos expressed, when announcing his World Cup squad on SABC, that he believed Ngcobo was not a midfielder, where he has been used recently at Chiefs. Baxter said he would have liked Broos to go to Chiefs' Village in Naturena and meet him on such issues rather than air them on TV, adding, “but I've never seen him”.
Also last week Orlando Pirates coach Mandla Ncikazi said he felt Broos' handling in the national team of Tshegofatsho Mabasa — calling him up for a game against Ethiopia, substituting him after 35 minutes and then dropping him — had played a part in denting the striker's confidence. He expressed similar concerns last month.
Last month Broos also fired back at Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena — who had also hit back at the Bafana coach when Broos had expressed his disappointment that Thabiso Kutumela had taken his Covid-19 vaccine jab in a Fifa week — over making comments in the media. In a public back-and-forth Mokwena also complained that the national team were not keeping clubs properly informed on injuries.