Healthy competition for Bafana call-ups welcome

Players raising hands for inclusion in Afcon, World Cup squads

- Kgomotso Mokoena

Now that the Bafana Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka’s blunder regarding Teboho Mokoena is water under the bridge, and that he will be joining the gravy train to the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2026 Fifa World in the Americas, coach Hugo Broos can focus on his next assignment - that of narrowing his squad from his big pool of players who are raising their hands.

It’s going to be a massive, nice headache for the Belgian silver fox. When he started his tenure, it was a big struggle for Broos to find players good enough to wear the green and yellow jersey and represent South Africa. He resorted to fringe players such as Ethan Brooks, Thibang Phete, Nyiko Mobbie, Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole, Veli Motha, Bruce Bvuma, Victor Letsoalo, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Siyanda Xulu and others to make up the team.

But such was Broos’ tenacity and confidence that he made the unfashionable players believe in themselves.