Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos shakes hands with Cameroon’s David Pagou after their Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 football match on Sunday. Bafana Bafanahead coachHugo Brooshas made his bed – now he must lie in it. AfterBafana’s round-of-16 exitfrom theAfrica Cup of Nations, Broos complained about the lack of international players available to him and questioned the standard ofSouth Africa’s PSL.
“When you see all the teams (we faced), those are teams with players who play in Europe. We don’t have them and that is the disadvantage for South Africa,” the Belgian was quoted byHollywoodbetsfollowing Bafana’s 2-1 loss to Cameroon, a side that failed to qualify for the World Cup. He went on to add: “This is the opportunity that our players need to have because they have to be challenged more, and I said from the beginning the level of the PSL compared to the level that we had in the last weeks is very big.” Those complaints ring hollow when Broos has continued to overlook the likes ofBongokuhle HlongwaneandOlwethu Makhanya, both of whom have performed consistently inMajor League Soccer in the United States.
Hlongwane has regularly found the back of the net for Minnesota United and hasshown an ability to adapt, even playing out of position when his team needs him. Makhanya, meanwhile, has been an important figure for Philadelphia Union and wasever-present as they claimed the MLS Supporters’ Shield under the guidance of former Kaizer Chiefs player Bradley Carnell. Broos has insisted time and again that the MLS is not among the strongest leagues.
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It is a viewhe repeated ahead of the Africa Cup of Nationslast month afterMbekezeli Mbokazi completed a move to Chicago Fire. According to the Opta Analyst Power Rankings, the MLS is rated as the 10th strongest league in world football, ahead of countries like Denmark, Argentina, and the Netherlands. That immediately throws his argument out of the window.
To be fair, Broos is not entirely without a point. History shows that teams who win the Africa Cup of Nations are often dominated by players based in Europe, hardened by the weekly demands of elite competitions and exposure to different tactical and physical challenges. That experience does matter at the sharp end of major tournaments.
However, this reality does not diminish the standing of the PSL, which remains one of the strongest and most competitive leagues on the African continent. While many African footballers dream of Europe, there are countless others who hold the PSL in high regard and harbour genuine ambitions of playing in it, which is a reflection of its quality, visibility, and continental relevance.
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