Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has offered his clearest indication yet of his plans for rising stars Tylon Smith and Shandre Campbell at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
Broos named the two European-based stars as part of his travelling party for the 2025 AFCON. The youth international duo has appeared on the bench in the matches against Angola and Egypt.
Speaking to the media as Bafana Bafana finalises preparations for their final Group B clash against Zimbabwe on Monday, Broos revealed his stance on both.
The 73-year-old coach has stuck mainly to the ‘tried and tested’ core that secured bronze at the previous edition, led by captain Ronwen Williams and midfield anchor Teboho Mokoena. However, the presence of Smith and Campbell signals a clear shift towards future-proofing the national team.
Smith, who is 20, has been praised for his composure and aerial dominance. Campbell, formerly with SuperSport United, has impressed in Belgium with his directness and clinical finishing.
WHAT IS BROOS’S STANCE ON SHANDRE CAMPBELL AND TYLON SMITH
The Belgian player emphasised that adding the Queens Park Rangers defender and the Club Brugge winger is mainly aimed at long-term development.
“In my language, they said you don’t have to throw someone in for the lions,” said Broos. “We don’t have to throw them for the Lions. That should not be good for the guys. I think for those two guys, for Tylon and for Shandre, it’s already fantastic that they are with us. And also, on training, you see that they’re doing well, but there are some moments or some things in football that they still have to learn.”
He considers the AFCON experience to be a valuable opportunity for the duo’s future development and believes it will significantly benefit them.
“It’s a pity that if we had won on Friday against Egypt, we could have maybe given them time [against Zimbabwe].
“But I think a little bit about what should happen if I put those guys in the team on Monday from the beginning, for example, or to change something. They are not ready for that for the moment. They are good players, but they are not ready for that for the moment. But what they learn now during the weeks they are together with us that will be good for Bafana Bafana for the next months, and maybe already for the World Cup, we will see.”
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