Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos put to bed rumours about his leaving his job to coach Tunisia by telling his players: “I am going to the World Cup with you.”
Since leading South Africa to a bronze medal finish at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast in January, persistent rumours have linked Broos to jobs with the Egypt national team and Club Brugge in his native Belgium.
On Tuesday, ahead of the Fifa Series 2024 friendly against Algeria, the rumour mill went into overdrive. A Tunisian website reported that Broos had agreed to become coach of the Carthage Eagles, citing homesickness and the north African country’s proximity to Belgium as factors influencing the decision.
But in a dressing room speech after the six-goal thriller, a bouyant Broos committed to continue in the job he commenced in 2021, which will culminate in the 2026 World Cup. Broos set the record straight in the presence of Safa CEO Lydia Monyepao and president Danny Jordaan, a source close to Broos told the Sunday Times this week.
Impressive record
Two years and 10 months into his five-year contract, Broos has 16 wins, six losses and 10 draws in 32 matches and moved Bafana to 10th in Confederation of African Football rankings.
“The Bafana coach is going nowhere. There’s no way he can leave us now when he’s so close to achieving his second main goal, which is to qualify the team for the 2026 World Cup,” said the source.
Broos has built a core squad and is blooding in younger players as he prepares for two crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria (away) on June 3 and Zimbabwe (home) on June 10.
Bafana beat Benin in the opening qualifier in Durban last year and lost the second one away to Rwanda, and Broos will be desperate to win both matches when the qualifiers for the 23rd World Cup to be hosted in Canada, Mexico and the US resume.
Broos left for Belgium after Bafana’s two friendlies against Andorra and Algeria and will return after three weeks to start preparations for the June matches.
No distractions
“He didn’t want to distract his team ahead of the match. After we had just drawn with Algeria, the dressing room was in high spirits. Broos told them how happy he was by the performance,” the insider said.
“Then he said, ‘let’s address the elephant in the room. I’m sure all of you have read the stories about Tunisia. Let me tell you, I am going nowhere.’ He said to them: ‘We are going to the World Cup together. I am going to the World Cup with you. I am not going to Tunisia.’ When the players heard it firsthand from him, they felt they were respected by their coach. The players said ‘this is why we play our hearts out for him’.
In a widely circulated video taken in Bafana’s locker room after the Algeria game, Broos tells his players and Safa staff: “What you heard and have read, there’s nothing about it. Why should I leave such a good team as you?”
Links to Club Brugge and Tunisia were fuelled by Broos expressing homesickness, and the fact that being away from his family was taking its toll on the Afcon winner with Cameroon.
Jordaan addressed issue at Afcon
Safa started addressing the issue a day after Bafana Bafana beat Democratic Republic of Congo to third place in Ivory Coast, when Broos requested a meeting with Jordaan.
He told Jordaan that besides being lonely in South Africa, he has grandchildren he was missing, and felt the situation was not working for him. He also said he had grown close to his players. “Jordaan told him he didn’t need to be in South Africa when Bafana didn’t have matches,” the source said.
“What helped the matter was that Broos had absolute belief in his assistant Helman [Mkahalele]. He trusts Helman 100%, they are in synergy and update each other on everything. He calls him [Mkahalele] his fellow coach. He always says his technical staff are an extension of him, and are able to execute their duties even when he is not in the country.”
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