While Bafana Bafana’s early exit in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) has put doubts about their readiness for the Fifa World Cup in June, coach Hugo Broos has hinted there will be changes ahead of the big tournament.
Most of the senior players who were part of the previous edition in Ivory Coast, where Bafana clinched bronze, were not at their best.
Players like Teboho Mokoena, Ronwen Williams, and Aubrey Modiba didn’t live up to their expectations, while others lacked a bit of experience.
While Broos was criticised for leaving out some players like the in-form Thembinkosi Lorch, Iqraam Rayners and Thapelo Morena, among others, he said he will evaluate what happened as they look to improve in the World Cup to be co-hosted by Mexico, the US, and Canada.
“In the next few days, it will be a time to evaluate this Afcon, what we did also two years ago and see what was good and what was not good and try to make it better,” Broos said.
“We will see. I can make a declaration now, but when you lose a game like this and you are eliminated from Afcon, you are frustrated and disappointed; sometimes you say things that you regret afterwards.”
Bafana didn’t play like a team that finished third in the previous edition; they were shaky in defence, having conceded six goals from four matches, and were not clinical enough in front of goals, having scored only six.
Bafana were conservative in their approach during the tournament and were a shadow of a team that surprised many in Ivory Coast.
Against Cameroon in the last-16 battle on Sunday, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat, Broos started with a defensive lineup, which included three center-backs and two central midfielders, while Khuliso Mudau and Samukele Kabini were used as full-backs.
“I also agree that we conceded too many goals. At the last Afcon, we only conceded three times throughout the whole tournament. But we’re not going backwards, definitely not,” he said.
“On the other hand, we have to make a good evaluation of what happened in this tournament looking forward to the World Cup.”
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