Broos makes bizarre claim that Pirates have it easy in local soccer

Hugo Broos has criticised the quality of football in the DStv Premiership, though the Bafana head coach also rather strangely chose to use Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu as examples of teams finding it too easy in the South African top flight.

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Broos blanket-praised the performances of Sundowns, AmaZulu and Pirates in this season’s Caf Confederation Cup and Caf Champions League, but while his comments on the local league rang true for Masandawana, they jarred in terms of Usuthu and the Buccaneers.

“I am very happy with the performance of these clubs – Pirates, Sundowns and AmaZulu,” said Broos.

“Take the game between Ahly and Sundowns – it was a very good game and the way Sundowns plays was very good with high pressure for all of the 90 minutes. Those teams also have an advantage to play in such competitions. You can’t improve in a league you are dominating … you need stronger opponents so you can improve the quality in your game.

“We need to imrpove the quality and level of South African competition.”

For Sundowns, who are cruising towards a fifth successive Premiership title, this comment rings true, yet it is hard to make a case that Pirates and AmaZulu find it too easy in the local game. Between them this season in the Premiership, AmaZulu and Pirates have won just 12 of 45 matches.

Broos did say that he was happy to have been afforded more time to watch local games this year, having come into the job fairly raw in his knowledge of South African football. The Bafana coach has named a 23-man squad for friendlies against Guinea in Belgium on March 25 and France in Lille four days later.

“Every week I am somewhere in a stadium looking at games. We also look at Wyscout on the internet where you can see games of players abroad. I have spent a lot of time watching games and not only me also Cedo (Janevski) and Helman (Mkhalele, Bafana’s assistant coaches).

“So we are much better prepared than seven months ago. Then I had to ask Helman ‘is this player or that player good?’ So we have done a lot of work but it was worth it.”