Hugo Broos, the coach of Bafana Bafana, has slammed the quality of South African players and the Premier Soccer League’s competitive level.
Under Broos, Bafana has suffered three defeats: a 2-1 setback to Morocco in Group K of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, a key 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Ghana, and a 5-0 thrashing by France.
As a result, the Belgian has harshly criticized South African football’s quality and capacity to compete with continental powerhouses or world-class sides.
“But I think it’s time now to face the real problem. What is the real problem of South Africa? The real problem of South Africa is that we don’t have those quality players,” said Broos as per iDiski Times.
“We don’t have those players like our three last opponents, Ghana, France and Morocco have. When you see those teams – Ghana, 90% of the players are from Europe. France, I don’t have to explain which players are playing in the team of France, all players are in big teams in Europe.
“But also Morocco, when you look at the selection of Morocco, there was only one player of the Caf Champions League winning-team Wydad Casablanca, and it was the goalkeeper. For the rest, there were no Champions League winners, no players. I think that shows enough.
“All those players are playing in great European teams, Fiorentina, Sevilla, PSG. We don’t have those quality players who are playing in Europe. We can look at the fantastic rise of Sundowns and Pirates in the Champions League and Confederation Cup but Sundowns lost the quarter-final, Pirates lost the final and who won? Moroccan teams, Wydad and Berkane.
“When I talk about quality and you see that even in Morocco there was no player of those teams in the selection, except the goalkeeper, I think it tells enough.
“Therefore again, let’s face the problem of South Africa and the problem is that the level of our PSL is not high enough. We don’t make players with high quality.”
Over the years, South African players have struggled to ply their trade in Europe’s more competitive leagues.
Al Ahly’s Percy Tau is the last player to play in the Premier League where he was a bit-part member of Brighton and Hove Albion’s first team.
A number of celebrated players have returned to the PSL after failing to command regular football in Europe.
Bafana have also found it hard to qualify for the World Cup since 2002, having also participated at the 2010 edition as hosts.
