Bafana’s Broos not concerned with critics: ‘I have coached for 40 years, I don’t listen to trash!’

Published on by

Bafana’s Broos not concerned with critics: ‘I have coached for 40 years, I don’t listen to trash!’
Hugo Broos, Bafana Bafana, Image: IMAGO

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is not too much concerned with the criticism received in the wake of South Africa’s 2-0 loss to Mexico in the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.

Broos’ men ended the game with nine men after two red cards, while El Tri finished with 10. But it was the latter who were impressive from the first whistle partly due to the formation employed by the African representatives who played a 5-3-2 formation.

Jayden Adams (left) and Aubrey Modiba (right) of South Africa in action at the 2026 World Cup.
Jayden Adams (left) and Aubrey Modiba (right) of South Africa in action at the 2026 World Cup. Image: Imago

Ahead of the Thursday Group A outing against Czechia, the 74-year-old has insisted Bafana Bafana have a massive job to do, since they can’t afford to lose if they are to stand a chance of making it out of the pool.

Broos never listens to trash!

“I’ve been coaching for nearly 40 years. I know that in your job you will be criticised. For those who still don’t know it, I do things my way,” he opend up to Afrik-Foot in a presser.

Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos. Image: IMAGO

“I never listen to the trash on social media. I never listen to people who sometimes think they’re important when they criticise the team. When I see what they did before, I think it would be better if they just shut up. I know what went wrong. 

“We had a debriefing and the players know it. That’s the most important thing. Tomorrow, some people will want another player in the team and I don’t agree. They won’t be in the team,” Broos further explained.

Bafana’s Broos used to pressure

“It’s part of my job. When you lose, you’re criticised. When you win, you’re the king,” the 74-year-old commented.

“After we qualified for the World Cup at home, someone came to me and said, “Coach, we should make a statue of you.” I said, “Make it out of wood so they can burn it more easily when I lose.” 

Hugo Broos

“I’m too experienced to listen to those things. I try to do my job as well as possible. I try to have 11 players on the pitch for 90 minutes and leave the pitch feeling we earned the result.

Importance of the Czechia game

“It’s a very important game [on Thursday]. If you don’t lose, you still have a chance,” Broos commented on the forthcoming fixture.

“If you lose, then it becomes a calculation of what happens in the other groups. For me, it’s decisive. It’s an important game.

“If we lose, it will be very difficult, even through third place, to reach the next round,” he concluded.

<!-- Author Start -->Willis Sob<!-- Author End -->

Willis Sob

Author

  • Football Odds
  • Sports Journalism
  • Football

Willis Sob is a sports betting expert and journalist covering Nigeria and South Africa, with 16 years of experience. With a background in journalism, reporting and programme production, he specialises in football odds, and his work has appeared on OK Africa and GOAL, as well as TV, radio and podcasts.

You May Also Like