Hugo Broos Hits Back at Critics Over Snubbing Kaizer Chiefs Stars in Bafana Bafana Squad

• Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos addressed the criticism he received for not including any Kaizer Chiefs players in his final squad for the upcoming friendlies, despite initially naming them in his preliminary list
• The Belgian mentor listed three Kaizer Chiefs stars in his 41-man preliminary list but none of them were included in the final Bafana Bafana Bafana squad for the friendly against Tanzania and Mozambique
• The former Club Brugge manager noted that club affiliations often lead to biased opinions from fans and pundits, especially when players from popular PSL teams like Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates are left out, and he stressed that club names have no influence on his choices

South African men's national team coach Hugo Broos has commented on the criticism he received after dropping all Kaizer Chiefs players from his final Bafana Bafana squad despite including them in his preliminary list.

Bafana Bafana will face Tanzania and Mozambique, as confirmed by the South African Football Association (SAFA), in an international friendly this month.

Kaizer Chiefs trio Yusuf Maart, Bruce Bvuma, and Mduduzi Shabalala were included in the 41-man preliminary list, but all were dropped from the final squad list released by the Belgian gaffer.

Broos hits back at critics over Kaizer Chiefs players

In an interview ahead of the upcoming friendly games, Broos defended his decision not to include any Kaizer Chiefs players in his final Bafana Bafana squad.

The Belgian coach had previously stated the reasons for not including any players from the Soweto giants, but his explanation was met with criticism from Amakhosi fans on social media.

“Selection is a matter of choice, my choice,” said Broos during a press conference in Polokwane.

“Sometimes it's about tactics, sometimes it's about the opponent and other times it's simply because a player is third or fourth in the pecking order for his position. That’s how it works.

"People outside the team often jump to conclusions, especially when club affiliations are involved. If I leave out a player from Orlando Pirates, some immediately say, ‘Oh, it’s because he’s from Pirates.’ If I don’t pick anyone from Kaizer Chiefs, it’s like I killed someone.

"But for me, club names don’t matter. My focus is solely on building the strongest possible national team. Whether a player comes from Chiefs, Pirates, Sundowns, or plays abroad, it’s irrelevant. What matters is the result. We play to win.

"That’s the only factor I consider, who gives us the best chance to succeed on the pitch.

"I also understand that some journalists and fans are emotionally tied to certain clubs,** and it’s tough for them to accept when a player from ‘their’ team isn’t selected. But those emotions can’t influence my decisions.

"I’ve never picked, and will never pick, a player based on which club he represents. It’s always about quality, form, and what the player brings to the team.

Kaizer Chiefs reportedly sign Bafana star from Pirates

Briefly News also reported that Kaizer Chiefs are said to have signed a South African international from city rivals Orlando Pirates.

The Bafana Bafana star or the Glamour Boys are yet to comment on the reports if it's true.

Source: Briefly News