Bafana’s Broos aims another sideswipe at Chiefs and Pirates

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says the DStv Premiership has not improved in his time in South Africa and that Mamelodi Sundowns are being affected by a lack of quality below them in the table.

Sundowns have won their first eight league games of the season and are already eight points clear at the top of the table, cruising even at this stage towards a seventh successive league title.

Tshwane rivals SuperSport United are the side closest to Sundowns, while Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and Chiefs are even further behind. Amakhosi trail Sundowns by 13 points while Pirates are a whopping 17 points behind, though they do have three games in hand.

“I think we will have the same season like the one before, and the one before that, Sundowns will be champions,” said Broos, as he named his 23-man squad to play Swaziland and the Ivory Coast in friendlies later this month. Bafana will face Swaziland at Orlando Stadium on October 13 and the Ivory Coast away from home four days later.

“They (Sundowns) have won every game. When I see Chiefs and Pirates, they normally have to be the biggest opponent and this is not what we expect from those teams. So yes, the quality of the PSL has not increased. It has stayed the same.

‘It is not even good for Sundowns’

“Sundowns are dominating and others are trying to follow but they can’t. This is not good for South African football. It is not even good for Sundowns.”

Broos explained that he thinks a lack of opposition for Sundowns at home means that they suffer in the Caf Champions League, which they have only won once, back in 2016.

“Sundowns were in the quarterfinals of the Champions League two years ago and the semifinals last year,” said Broos.

“One of the reasons they can’t go to the final is because the opponents they play every week (in SA) are not strong enough.”

Bafana Squad

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Veli Mothwa, Ricardo Goss

Defenders: Nyiko Mobbie, Grant Kekana, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Paseka Mako, Mothobi Mvala, Siyanda Xulu, Khuliso Mudau

Midfielders: Njabulo Blom, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Sibongiseni Mthethwa

Strikers: Mihlali Mayambela, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Themba Zwane, Percy Tau, Zakhele Lepasa, Lyle Foster, Lebo Mothiba, Monnapule Saleng