Hugo Broos confirms foreign interest in Bafana players

Several Bafana Bafana players attract interest from various clubs as they showcase their talents at the Afcon tournament in Ivory Coast, confirms coach Hugo Broos.

Broos says it was important for his Bafana players to do well at the continental tournament for them to attract interest and improve their game.

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The South African reported that Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena is one of the players who is linked with big moves away from the DStv Premiership.

Ahead of their final match against DR Congo in the third-place play-off on Saturday night, Broos said Bafana players did well en route to the continental tournament – he speaks about interest.

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The Belgian mentor, Broos has also caught the attention of top teams such as Algeria as social media posts suggest – the coach confirms Bafana players attract interest.

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This also comes as Bafana and Broos defied the odds and managed to reach the semi-finals of the Afcon showpiece, they lost to Nigeria on Wednesday.

“We’re the only team with so many local players, it took time to convince the players that they have all the qualities to produce big performances at tournaments like this,” Broos confirms interest in his Bafana players.

“Then you need results, if they don’t follow, then it’s very difficult to understand [and believe] what the coach is telling you.

“The results are there, we beat Morocco, we beat DRC, we played a good game against Ivory Coast, so the confidence became more [coming into AFCON], then here we were extremely motivated to show something.

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“I felt that from all the players, they wanted to show something. The players now also know [what they can do], there’s interest in some players, they know also now this is the level they need to show their skills.

“You become better, also I’m very happy with this AFCON that we showed also that South Africa has good players and there are some players now that European teams are interested so that means that we did very well and the players showed they are playing at a higher level than the league in South Africa.”

COACH BROOS URGES PSL CLUBS TO IMPROVE TO BENEFIT BAFANA

In addition, the 71-year-old Bafana boss, Broos added that PSL clubs must fight harder and compete against DStv Premiership champions, Sundowns.

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“My opinion is always, a national team doing well, automatically, the rest will follow [within the organisation]. I said already a few times, it’s necessary for the level of the PSL, the local competition has to increase,” added Bafana coach Broos.

“Some people tell me, ‘yes, you see coach, even with local players, we can reach the semi-final of AFCON’.

“It’s true, I know but we have to see the level we reached, it’s not the level that PSL has.

“It’s normal. But if we go back now to that level of PSL, maybe we decrease the level of the national team – that’s why it’s important that we prove something of the national team.

“Everybody sees now that yes, and the players see this is another level.

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“Countries who have players who play in Europe, it’s easier for them because they play every week on that level – let’s hope now that in South Africa, they are convinced of that.”