Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has taken what seems to be a dig at The Zambia national team following the failed friendly match arrangement between the two Southern African nations.
The Belgian said Bafana Bafana were facing small teams in the past and needed to play bigger teams.
Broos says he is pleased with the strong opposition that have been arranged for his team’s two international friendlies.
South Africa was supposed to face the Copper Bullets on March 29th but will now be hosted by France in Lille after going behind FAZ’s back. South Africa wrote to FAZ canceling the friendly match citing difficulty in securing VISAS only to announce a friendly match with the world champions.
“I’m told that in the past they [Bafana] were playing little and small team. This is not good for the team. So we need to have strong opponents [such as] Ivory Coast [and] Burkina Faso. But at the end we received invitation from France. [We are] happy with that and Guinea played well during AFCON,” said Broos.
Zambia has now arranged a match against 2007 AFC Asian Cup Champions, Iraq which will be played outside the FIFA window and will feature an exclusive assemblage of local players that the coach wants to refine with his focus also on the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers set for June/July.
Some of the local players who will impress against Iraq will be part of the two planned international friendly matches (On FIFA window) that includes a confirmed fixture against Guinea on March 29 in France.
Foreign based players will join in for the two matches during the FIFA window (Guinea and a yet to be confirmed opponent).
Asanovic is using the FIFA window to prepare for the June round of the Ivory Coast 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
If you play and lose to a so called small team, then who is smaler?
I hail Hugo Broos. If you are going to prepare for battle, avoid weak opponents because they will teach you nothing of value except falsehoods about your prowess. I hope Asanovic will take a leaf from the Sooth African coach. When FAZ tries to arrange a friendly with a team of little value, the coach should refuse. There is nothing like trying to see how the team is gelling. It simply makes us waste the scarce resources that we so much need when it matters most. Viva, Broos!