Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos attends a training session FILE - Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos attends a training session. Broos says he doesn’t understand how players like Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau have been dropped by Mamelodi Sundowns. Photo: Sia Kambou/AFP
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says he might have to reconsider Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau’s places in the national team if they continue to struggle for game time at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Both Mokoena and Mudau were named in Broos’ Bafana Bafana squad on Thursday for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo despite not featuring in any of Sundowns’ league games this season.
Despite playing an important part in the Brazilians’ romp to a seventh straight league title last season, the two have been left out of the team completely this season, and their futures at the club have come under threat.
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Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says he doesn't understand why Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau were not playing at Sundowns recently!
🌐 https://t.co/26PdrPrVLc… pic.twitter.com/Gov6l8c0Re
Speaking to SABC Sport after announcing his team, Broos said the two players were still a part of his plans, but if the situation at their club did not change, he would be forced to make a decision about their international future.
“I don’t think it will be a problem now, but if the situation keeps going on, then we have a problem with Teboho and we have a problem with Khuliso,” said the Belgian.
“On the other side, I gave to respect the decisions of the coach there [at Sundowns]. Okay, he will have his reasons. But from my side, it’s difficult to understand why a player like Teboho, why a player like Khuliso is not playing,” he continued.
“They were some of the best players at Afcon. They had fantastic games for the national team and suddenly, for one or another reason, they are suddenly no longer good enough to play. This is difficult for me to accept.
“But, okay. That is the decision of the coach at Sundowns and we will see what happens in the next weeks.
“But again, if that situation stays, I have to review my option about Teboho and Khuliso. Not that they are not good enough, but because they are not playing,” he said.
Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has said he preferred to play Rivaldo Coetzee in the No. 6 role, saying he saw Mokoena as a No. 8. The Bafana Bafana No. 4 has yet to play for Sundowns this season.
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams, Ricardo Goss, Sipho Chaine
Defenders: Sydney Mobbie, Thapelo Morena, Rushwin Dortley, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Khuliso Mudau, Thabiso Sesane, Fawaaz Basadien, Grant Kekana
Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena, Jayden Adams, Luke Le Roux, Thatlente Mbatha
Forwards: lqraam Rayners, Elias Mokwana, Lyle Foster, Relebohile Mofokeng, Themba Zwane, Owsin Appollis.
IOL Sport