Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos feels the emergence of many youngsters in South African football is down to his efforts since he came to the country in 2021.
South African football is currently a wash with a lot of youngsters, with some even sealing moves abroad, while others have since been roped into the national team setup.
Orlando Pirates’ Relebohile Mofokeng, Kaizer Chiefs’ Rushwin Dortley, Bradley Cross, Jayden Adams of Stellenbosch and Oswin Appollis of Polokwane City are among the youngsters who are now getting consistent national team call-ups.
There are many others such as Mduduzi Shabalala, Samkelo Zwane, Mohau Nkota, Neo Rapoo, Mfundo Vilakazi, Langelihle Phili and Kutlwano Letlhaku also doing well for their respective clubs and Broos says this would not have been the case had he not insisted on the need to give youth a chance.
Broos claims credit for the rise of SA youngsters
“As you know, from the first day I was here, I was talking about young players, and we didn’t have them at that moment,” Broos told the media on Monday.
“When I saw the line-ups of the PSL clubs at that time, it was all players around the age of 26 and 28 and older. And if you talked about a young player at that time, people came to me with names of players aged 26 and 27. Those were deemed young players then.
“So, I think I started something with the national team and proved that also young players can be very good and can achieve results, and I think that in the clubs, they are following a little bit my example when you see now [many youngsters in the PSL].
“It is true that in every team now you find young players, and maybe it was easier for the small clubs to do that because they have to do it due to the question of not having money to buy players, but now we are also seeing it in the big teams, Pirates, Sundowns even Chiefs, your Shabalalas, all those players are young.”
Is the emergence of youth down to Bafana coach?
Broos wants clubs to continue giving youth a chance but cautioned against rushing them into bigger roles and even the senior national team.
“I think it is a good evolution in South African football because young players are the future, you see Stellenbosch, and I can name other clubs,” he added.
“You must always be careful with young players because you can call them too soon, and it is not good for a young player if you call them for Bafana Bafana and the next three to five camps, you can’t call them anymore because they are no longer playing at their clubs or maybe you saw at that time that it was maybe too soon for Bafana Bafana.
“But I keep my eyes open, and I’m very happy with what’s happening in the PSL. Seeing young players playing can only be good for South African football.”
