Bafana coach holds ground on Chiefs remarks, eyes peace talks with Ntseki: 'I know he's upset'

Addressing the South African media and seeking to clarify his previous statements has become a routine practice for Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos.

This trend underscores his ongoing engagement with the press and his commitment to ensuring that his messages are accurately conveyed and understood.

Just last week, the 71-year-old coach made a significant statement asserting that no players from Kaizer Chiefs are currently prepared to transition to the national senior team based on their current performances as he announced his 23-man squad for Bafana’s international friendly matches against  Namibia (Saturday, 9 September – 15:00) and DR Congo (Tuesday, 12 September – 18:00).

He substantiated his viewpoint by providing a detailed explanation and clear insight into his rationale as he named eight Mamelodi Sundowns players, with five Orlando Pirates players in the team.

The Belgian-born mentor, who is multilingual and has honed his English skills over time, felt that his remarks were misunderstood. This misinterpretation upset the Amakhosi supporters and ruffled the feathers of the current Chiefs head coach, Molefi Ntseki.

On Monday, in Johannesburg, another solemn moment unfolded as preparations were under way for Bafana's upcoming matches. Broos once again sought to address the situation in a press conference but steadfastly stood by the statement he had made nearly a week earlier.

“I have to be careful of what I’m saying. I felt it the last few days that what you’re saying is not only what you mean,” said Broos, who was flanked and seated with defender Siyanda Xulu and midfielder Grant Margeman at FNB Stadium.

“There was a lot of commotion between me and Kaizer Chiefs, especially Mr. Ntseki, the coach of Kaizer Chiefs.