The Belgian is about to face his first real test at South Africa coach in the upcoming 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says “quality” is what he considers most as he justified picking players who are struggling for game time at their clubs.
The former Cameroon coach trimmed his squad to 23 players to do duty in September’s 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Ghana.
But in his squad are the Kaizer Chiefs duo of defenders Sibusiso Mabiliso and Austin Dube, who are yet to make their official debuts for the Soweto giants.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ Nyiko Mobbie has also been included in Broo’s squad despite having little prospects of playing at Masandawana.
“First of all, when you make a selection, first thing is quality. I can leave all those players out because they don’t play, but will I have enough players to replace them with enough quality to play for Bafana? So I can take that risk to take players who’re not playing,” said Broos as per Times Live.
“In future, selecting players who don’t play at club level can be a problem for me. Now every player has preparation in pre-season, so normally they’re physically okay. But in two months’ time if they don’t play I will have a problem, so I hope in the next weeks and months some players will play.”
Percy Tau is another player selected by Broos despite struggling for game time at Brighton and Hove Albion.
But the former Sundowns star might not feature for Bafana after the Premier League barred players from travelling to red-listed countries, unless if Tau joins Al Ahly before the qualifiers.
Bafana first visit neighbours Zimbabwe for the September 3 clash in Harare, before hosting Ghana three days later.
The Ghana match comes six months after the Black Stars frustrated South Africa with a 1-1 draw at FNB Stadium, a result which contributed to Bafana failing to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.
They were then led by Molefi Ntseki but now the West Africans provide a stern test for Broos.
“I like to win games and to win a game you’ve to score. If you don’t score you don’t win a game, this is, first of all, why this team is so maybe offensive,’’ Broos added
South Africa last qualified for the World Cup in 2002, before participation at the 2010 edition as hosts.