OPINION: Let’s cut Broos a break, at least until Bafana get their shot at Liberia redemption

In some ways, it would have been fun to see Hugo Broos completely lose his rag in the post match press conference after Bafana Bafana threw away a two-goal lead against Liberia on Friday night.

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He could have gone full Antonio Conte, who went ballistic at his Tottenham players after they let a 3-1 lead slip against Southampton in the English Premier League, giving the impression of a man begging for his job to be over, a ‘request’ that was granted this week, as it happens.

One can imagine Broos, eyes bulging, white hair even more upright than usual, storming into the media room at Orlando Stadium and shouting something to the effect of “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? MY PLAYERS MISS CHANCES LIKE ESKOM MISS POWER! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE! THEY COULDN’T HIT A COW’S ARSE WITH A BANJO!”

This is an almost-certainly deeply inaccurate estimation of what a pumped up Broos talking his emotions might sound like. The Belgian instead chose to refuse to speak, at first failing to turn up at the post match presser, sending his assistant Helman Mkhalele instead, and then coming in after pressure from the media, but only to tell us that he wasn’t going to say anything.

The instinct was to be disdainful of Broos, who had also walked off the pitch immediately after his side had conceded the second goal to Liberia’s Mohammed Sangare in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, and failed to give the customary pitch-side television interview.

There was a lack of professionalism in the Bafana head coach’s behaviour, and yet on reflection there is certainly a grey area here. The first point is that if Broos had come in and lost his rag, it may well have come off a lot worse than simply refusing to speak.

He did say he did not want to let his emotions get the better of him, and maybe this was sensible. After all, whatever motive we ascribe to Conte’s comments, it left his relationship with his players completely untenable.

The wisdom of silence

Bafana still have an Africa Cup of Nations finals to qualify for, and they can do that if they beat Liberia in Monrovia on Tuesday evening. Broos may well have been better off, in the heat of the moment, keeping his thoughts to himself.

The second point to garner from this is that at least Broos cares. It is better for a coach to get emotional after a game, where he has seen his team blow a two-goal lead in upsetting circumstances, than for a coach to appear dispassionate and detached.

So I say we cut Broos a break here, get behind him for the game against Liberia on Tuesday evening and hope that Bafana Bafana can get the result that takes them to the Ivory Coast and the Afcon finals early next year.

The result against Liberia in Orlando was poor, and the limp surrender in the last 30 minutes was dismal, but Broos can also hardly be to blame for the kind of chances missed by Percy Tau and Bongokuhle Hlongwane. On another day, Bafana would have won comfortably. Hopefully that other day comes this evening in Monrovia.