Hugo Broos changes tune on PSL standards: ‘Less fat-ass players’
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos appears to have changed his tune on the quality of play in the PSL, admitting that there is a decrease in the number of players he considered to be ‘fat-assed’.
When Broos took the reins of Bafana Bafana in 2021, he didn’t mince his words about the state of the SA elite league. He openly criticised the league’s standards and player fitness, expressing astonishment at the condition of some ‘overweight’ players.
Fast forward a few years, and Broos, who led Bafana to a historic bronze medal in the 2023 AFCON – their first podium finish in 24 years – sees a significant shift.
The outspoken tactician now believes the PSL has upped its game, becoming a more competitive league, and suggests he may have played a part in that transformation.
HUGO BROOS NOTES POSITIVE SHIFT IN PSL STANDARDS
“I see now a change in the PSL,” said Broos during a roundtable discussion with journalists at SAFA House on Thursday.
“There are still games where you say, ‘Oh well [this is poor]. But when I started coaching Bafana, when I arrived in SA, there were games when I couldn’t believe my eyes, the level of the game and the players. The fat-ass players, sometimes you see them, but now you see them less.
“How can you play at a high level when you have an ass like that? But it is true. You need to be an athlete. If you are not and don’t live like a professional athlete, if you don’t train well, you don’t go to the gym, you are finished.”
Broos also believes the rising standards in the PSL have broadened his player pool for Bafana selection. This welcome dilemma gives him a selection headache, but the coach says it provides depth, easing concerns about player injuries impacting the national team.
BAFANA SELECTION HEADACHE A WELCOME PROBLEM FOR BROOS
For example, while Mamelodi Sundowns‘ maestro Themba Zwane and Gil Vicente FC midfielder Sphephelo Sithole have been sidelined, Broos remains confident. Though he anticipates neither player will be fit for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin at the end of March, the coach isn’t worried, knowing he has other quality players ready to step up.
“We have it now [quality and depth] in the PSL. You have four players in the same position waiting for their chance when you compared it to three years ago, we didn’t have that,” he added.
“But when you now see the players I have to drop when I select 23 players, it is a challenge and tough, and it is a pity that we can only take 23 players, but I’m happy with that because I know that the level is going up by players having these opportunities to play for Bafana.
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