Another Broos versus local coach war of words over player injuries ahead of FIFA Series matches
Bafana Bafana Hugo Broos is on another war of words with a local DSTV Premiership coach ahead of the pilot FIFA Series matches in Algeria. Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena ran down a list of injury problems with his national team-bound players at a post-match press conference and Broos was not happy.
“Ronza(Ronwen Williams) is struggling with the shoulder and we’ve got a very difficult Champions League game. Tebza(Tebogo Mokoena) is struggling with a knee and he’s had it since AFCON. And only now we’ve got Mothobi(Mvala) and Sailor(Mudau) but we still have problems with Maseko who also got an injury also in AFCON,” lamented Mokwena after overcoming Maritzburg United in the Nedbank Cup.
Although Mokwena stated that Sundowns would honour Bafana Bafana call-ups as the club as always done, the Belgian national team was clearly annoyed.
“If they are really injured, they have to inform us and not talking with the press and telling them they are injured. I think we have a doctor, I know we have a doctor. They(Sundowns) have the phone number of the doctor. So why don’t they call us and give us a medical report?” quizzed Broos.
Broos has not had a cosy relationship with local coaches, with a couple of run-ins ending up on several websites and newspaper back pages. He claimed to have been misquoted and taken out of context when his comments hit a wrong nerve with the then Kaizer Chiefs head coach, Molefi Ntseki.
Bafana Bafana are headed for the new FIFA Series pilot tournaments which feature nations from different continents that would not normally meet each other in world football tournaments. For his part, Rulani Mokwena believes Ronwen Williams and Tebogo Mokoena will still make the trip to Algeria with Broos and the national team.
“Are the injuries strong enough to keep them away from Bafana? I don’t know because I think as a club we’ve always supported the national team agenda, always always, and we will continue to do that,” stressed Mokwena.
For his part, Hugo Broos called up seven Mamelodi Sundowns players and that is the number he wants to see in camp.
“I expect the seven players of Sundowns here tonight in camp,” said Broos authoritatively.
