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‘I am very angry’ – Bafana coach Hugo Broos slams PSL for alleged failed meeting

Mahlatse Mphahlele Sports reporter
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
Image: Thabang Lepule/BackpagePix

Hugo Broos has launched an astonishing broadside at the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for allegedly failing to set up a meeting between the Bafana Bafana coach and DStv Premiership coaches during January.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, the outspoken Broos slammed the PSL for allegedly not acting with urgency in informing the clubs and the coaches about the long overdue meeting.

PSL acting chief executive Mato Madlala, however, was reached for a comment and said she did not want to venture into responding to Broos’s allegation through the media. She said there were protocols for such complaints to be handled via the correct channels.

“Football matters are discussed internally and there is a protocol and structure that exists where we discuss matters that involve both of us. I have got too much respect for my mother body [the SA Football Association] to be responding through the media,” Madlala said.

Broos, though, claimed the league had failed to set up a meeting he views as crucial with Premiership coaches, some of whom the Belgian has had a few tense exchanges with in his first year in his job.

“I have tried to have a meeting with the PSL coaches. Again I didn’t succeed and this was a disappointment,” Broos said.

“I followed the protocols of sending the letters to the league and the procedure is that they are the ones who must send the letters to the clubs but they didn’t. I asked for a response from the coaches by January 16 and by that time there was no coach who answered.

“Then I extended the period to January 26 and by January 27 there was no coach who answered. I was furious, I was frustrated and I cancelled the meeting.

“Then one week later I received a letter from the league with the answers of the coaches, but it was all the coaches of the National First Division. That is not what I asked for. I asked to have a meeting with the PSL coaches, [but] they [the PSL] didn’t send the letters to the clubs. It is not the coaches' fault — it is the league because they didn’t send the letter to the clubs.

I sent out the letters to the league between December 15 and 20 and they only sent letters to the clubs on January 28.
Hugo Broos

“They only sent the letter on the January 28. It was too late because I sent out the letters to the league between December 15 and 20 and they only sent letters to the clubs on January 28.

“To add to this, I asked already on January 16 and 27, but coaches could not answer because they didn’t receive the letter from the league. I am very angry about that because it is not honest.”

Asked to respond on the matter, Safa chief executive Tebogo Motlanthe said the matter is receiving attention.

“We have asked for a joint liaison [committee] meeting and the issue is being discussed there,” said Motlanthe, without going into details.

Broos’s outbursts have the potential to ignite tensions between the PSL and Safa. One official with knowledge of the developments, who did not want to be named, said this outburst was strange because the coach had not been in the country for most of January.

Though the meeting with Premiership club coaches did not take place, Broos said he is continuing with his work of preparing the team for the friendly matches against France and Guinea later in the month.

“The meeting not taking place doesn’t affect my work but the relationship between me and the coaches is important. They blamed me that I didn’t have this meeting with them for months and when I want a meeting the league didn’t do what they were supposed to do.

“It is the league who doesn’t want me to speak to PSL coaches, I think. I don’t have to blame the coaches for that, because I want to speak and I want to have a meeting with them.

"It is already two times [a failed meeting has happened]. The first time the league said it is not possible and now they didn’t send the letters to the coaches.

“I hope coaches now take the initiative that we meet each other because I can’t do anything. I can’t go and visit all the clubs and tell my story every time. I want them together so that I can tell them my story and they can also tell their stories.”


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