Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos blasted the Premier Soccer League on Thursday, as he named his final 23-man squad for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Broos has named a squad with just three players who do not play in the DStv Premiership, and lashed out at the PSL for not stopping the season earlier to allow his side more preparation time.
“I was very upset because the PSL did not want to stop their competition on the 24th (of December), so that the players could have seven days off to recover mentally and physically,” said Broos.
“We wrote a letter to the PSL (in May) and they did not answer. We wrote again and they answered and said ‘we support the efforts of Bafana Bafana and the efforts of the coach but … blah, blah, blah, saying they can’t stop their competition, everything had been discussed in June. But I wrote the letter in May. How can you not support your national team?”
The DStv Premiership will instead only end on December 31, with the Africa Cup of Nations kicking off on January 13.
“We can’t start our preparation on January 2. We will need days off, so we will come together on January 4th or 5th,” added Broos.
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Veli Mothwa, Ricardo Goss
Defenders: Nyiko Mobbie, Grant Kekana, Terrence Mashego, NkosinathiSibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Siyanda Xulu, Mothobi Mvala
Midfielders: Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Jayden Adams, Thabang Monare, Thapelo Maseko
Strikers: Thapelo Morena, Themba Zwane, Zakhele Lepasa, Oswin Appollis, Mihlali Mayambela, Percy Tau, Evidence Makgopa
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