Hugo Broos’s Bafana Bafana regime which began with the usual promise of resurrection seems headed for a predictably familiar denouement just like those of his many predecessors.

Like them, he got into the job with much hope that he could revive a dead horse, and preached positivity. The script has shifted tremendously since his confident speak when he took the reins last year, when he told us “kill me if we don’t qualify for World Cup 2026”. Now suddenly his press conferences have become highly charged affairs in which he expresses exasperation not only with his employers, but South African football in general.

It has finally dawned on him that, while this country has vast resources – compared for instance to Cameroon whom he led to Africa Cup of Nations glory in 2017 – his efforts may not be enough.

Broos now seems to have taken a carefree attitude to the job he took with so much passion and excitement last year, when he was convinced his methods would work. He was adamant on his selection policy, defying calls to include players he deemed a bit old, such as Themba Zwane. His explanation that he changed his mind on the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder because he’s "no fool" is a bit disingenuous.

The Belgian included Zwane merely to silence his critics. It is nothing but a populist choice. SA needed Zwane in the World Cup qualifiers when Broos persisted with players of lesser stature and experience. Then, he told us his vision was to build a team for 2026. Surely Zwane, who has been the most consistent player in domestic football for over five years, could have helped us get that one extra goal we required in the home matches against Zimbabwe and Ghana. But Broos was adamant he wasn’t required.

All of sudden, we have friendlies against the mighty Sierra Leone and Botswana, and Broos resorts to Zwane. We should see this for what it is: desperation and an attempt to shut critics.

There’s no question that Broos’s regime is in its final throes. Those of us who’ve followed this team for decades have seen this movie before. A coach begins with much enthusiasm, presenting himself as some messiah, only for reality to dawn on them after realising the enormity of the job beyond nice stadiums, large windows at Safa House and TV highlights.

Not too helpful is a Safa administration which just can’t let up on own goals, as Broos found out again this week when his team were turned away from training at Dobsonville Stadium because it hadn’t been booked. “The association needs to improve on professionalism… in a big way,” he moaned.

With every rant, it’s increasingly becoming clear that Broos is a frustrated man. He’s not a man in love with his job. He’s realised it’s not all rosy, when junior national teams are so dysfunctional that they haven’t played for up to two years. It’s not his fault at all.

But Broos can spare all of us the pretense. He is tired, shem. His tinkering with selection shows he’s now in the job for the sake of further growing his retirement annuity. He cannot flip-flop so much – one moment you want matches against top teams like France, next you’re okay playing Botswana – with the sole aim of taking us to World Cup 2026.

It is about his survival for the meantime, but this would be to the further detriment of Bafana. Unfortunately, Safa head honchos will probably notice only when it’s too late.