Atlanta (AFP) – South Africa coach Hugo Broos said he will take no notice of the “trash” criticism he has faced as Bafana Bafana try to get their World Cup back on track against the Czech Republic on Thursday. Broos’ side were reduced to nine men in losing the tournament opener 2-0 to co-hosts Mexico, but have time to make amends and try to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time.
“For the moment I’m criticised, but people have to know that for those who still don’t know it, I do it my way, and I never listen to the trash on social media,” a defiant Broos told a pre-match press conference in Atlanta on Wednesday. “I know what went wrong. I know we had a debriefing two days after the game against Mexico. The players know it and that’s the most important thing.”
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Since taking charge in 2021, Broos, 74, has overseen a revival in South Africa’s fortunes. The 2010 hosts had not qualified for a World Cup since 2002, and the Belgian also led them to third place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. “When you win, you are the king. Eight months ago, when we qualified for the World Cup against Rwanda at home, there was somebody who came to me, he said, ‘they have to make a statue for you in South Africa.’ I told him, ‘make it in wood, so it will burn more easily when I lose’ and that happens now. So I’m too experienced to look and to listen to that.”
South Africa face South Korea in their final Group A game, but Broos believes the meeting with the Czechs, who lost their opening game 2-1, will be decisive in the battle for the knockout stages. One win could be enough to secure a place in the last 32 as the eight best third-placed finishers from the 12 groups will progress. “It’s very decisive for me,” he added. “If you lose, I think it will be very difficult, even with the third place, to be in the next round.”
Themba Zwane’s tournament may be over after he was handed a three-game ban for his red card against Mexico. Broos took aim at what he sees as double standards after Lionel Messi escaped punishment for a dangerous challenge before going on to score a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria on Tuesday. “When you get a red card for that, and then three-game suspension, I’m sorry, but this is much, much, much too severe,” he added. “I don’t want that Messi gets a red card because that player has to be on the pitch. You saw yesterday what a wonderful player he is. But what is the difference?”
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