Hugo Broos, an international streetwise coach with over three decades of experience, is smelling a rat after the unexplained absence of Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau from Mamelodi Sundowns’ recent line-ups.
For the past few weeks, Sundowns sidelined central midfielder Mokoena and right-back Mudau and it has been a source of concern for the national team coach Broos. He said Mokoena and Mudau served Bafana Bafana very well at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) earlier this year and were among the best players in Africa.
The two players have been named in the Bafana squad to play Congo Brazzaville in back-to-back 2025 Afcon qualifiers starting on Friday in Gqeberha. Their absence from Sundowns’ teams has puzzled Broos.
“I’m concerned, but what can I do? I have to respect the decisions of the (Sundowns) coach. I didn’t think for a moment that they’re not good enough so that’s a surprise for me,” said Broos during his address at the Bafana squad announcement in Joburg.
“I know Khuliso and I know Teboho. They are benched and it means Sundowns must be a very, very good place (team).
“What can I do? I have to accept it and hope the coach changes his mind and gives more playing time to Teboho and Khuliso because they are two good players.
“We can solve the problem with Teboho and Khuliso by calling the coach and asking him why they are not playing.
“It is better to understand why players are not playing by having a conversation with a coach of a club. I only see and read what the coach is saying in the papers and sometimes we all know, a coach does not say things the way they are to the media. I do it as well.”
Broos said he saw in the media that a €5m (R115m) price tag was on Mokoena’s head but he felt it was hugely excessive.
“Mokoena played well at Afcon and there was interest in him. If it’s true, they asked €5m nobody will pay that for Mokoena,” said Broos.
“There have not been many South African players abroad for a long time. You saw with other countries such as Senegal, Morocco and Ivory Coast, their players are all playing abroad and we don’t have that.
“We can achieve that by having good results with the national team.”
Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has not given the matter much airtime. However, two weeks ago he spoke about his capacity to make tough calls after the media raised the subject of playing without Mokoena and Mudau.
At the same time, there were reports of Sundowns sporting director Fleming Berg demanding players show Mngqithi some respect after a number of them voiced their displeasure at Mokwena’s firing. Berg warned that if players do not show Mngqithi respect, there will be dire consequences.
In the absence of an official explanation, it seems Mokoena and Mudau’s prolonged absence may be the dire consequences Berg had promised.
Bafana’s 23-member squad, apart from the Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC players, will assemble in Johannesburg today and fly to Gqeberha tomorrow morning
Next Saturday, they will travel to Congo to play the return match on Tuesday, October 15.
Broos said he was concerned by the number of goals his charges conceded during matches against Uganda and South Sudan.
“Those things have got to change, that has to change,” said Broos.
“You can’t concede two or three goals in almost every game and must score three or four goals to win a game. We must resolve that.”