Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele has disclosed that defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi and coach Hugo Broos have smoked the peace pipe. On Tuesday, Broos didn’t hold back fromlambasting the 20-year-old Mbokazifor late arrival in camp at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre, where Bafana are preparing for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco from December 22 to January 18. “I won’t go into details of the discussion the coach had with Mbokazi, but the issue has been resolved,” Mkhalele said during Bafana’s send-off event, organised by their sponsor Castle at FNB Stadium on Thursday.
“It was important for us to resolve issues like that to make sure we continue with our preparations.” It was important for us to resolve issues like that to make sure we continue with our preparations. An incensed Broos criticised what he calls Mbokazi’s “unprofessional attitude”, revealing that the US-bound defender missed the flight from Durban to Johannesburg on Tuesday and arrived a day later in camp after he was given two days off, alongside other Orlando Pirates players, after their Carling Knockout final triumph against Marumo Gallants in Polokwane on Saturday. I won’t go into details of the discussion the coach had with Mbokazi, but the issue has been resolved.
Broos stressed he would hold a meeting with “TLB”, as Mbokazi is nicknamed, over his late arrival, saying the player would go into the discussion “black” and leave “white”, a statement that has since landed him in hot water as the UDM lodged a formal complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission on Wednesday. The UDM said Broos’ remarks were “racist and sexist”, as the Bafana coach also slammed Mbokazi’s agent, Basia Michaels, for allowing him to join US Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire a fortnight ago. Broos called Michaels a “woman that thinks she knows football”.
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At Afcon, Bafana are in Group B with Egypt, Angola and neighbours Zimbabwe, getting their campaign under way against Angola in Marrakech on December 22. Mkhalele stressed the importance of beating Angola in their opener. “The players are ready, but we know it’s not going to be easy. We know the importance of winning the first game to set the tone; we will go all out against Angola because we can’t afford to lose the opening game,” he said.
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