Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says his master plan remains to build ‘a young team’, but the door is not shut for the older ones.
Broos, who emphasised that his focus is on rebuilding the team, admitted that experience in the team is a need. His mandate is to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the 2026 World Cup.
Bafana will take on Guinea and world champions France in Belgium and Lille later this month, and Broos selected several over 30 players in his 23-man squad, including Thabang Monare, Siyanda Xulu and Lyle Lakay.
“The building is done. I selected only young players [when I arrived last year], and everybody was surprised why I didn’t take the older players,” said Broos.
“But I wanted to see first what we have in young players because they are the future. After the qualifiers for the World Cup, we saw that there were some lacks in the team, lack of power and experience.
“And then we start to scout the older players and the players with power, like [Goodman] Mosele. I’m pleased that [Mothobi] Mvala is again here. But also that some older guys and then when you say when you see [Thabang] Monare is the oldest of our team today but the good performances with Pirates in the Caf Confederations Cup.
Broos added: “It’s not about the age, and the door was never closed for all the players. But I wanted to see first what we have from younger players. So I know that now. And now we try to fill up the lacks we have in the qualifiers for World Cup.”
