Hugo Broos clarifies Brandon Petersen’s omission from the World Cup squad

There’s been a strong reaction on the social media platforms after Petersen, who hasn’t been part of the Bafana squad in a very long time, was dropped from the squad. As one of the outstanding goalkeepers this season, with 15 clean sheets, there was an expectation that he would make the team. But Broos has a criterion that he follows.

"Do we have players who are not with us for the first time? That 's also the reason why Petersen is not with us. Petersen was only with us for two days, so I know him as a goalkeeper. So, what I said to him yesterday evening after we got back from the announcement was, 'Listen, I have to choose between three goalkeepers: Goss, Chaine, and you. I have to choose two goalkeepers,' " said Broos.

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"When you look at the quality of those guys, you can't choose because they are of the same quality. So, on what level will you choose? For me, it was the integration."

Broos has selected captain Ronwen Williams, Sipho Chaine, and Ricardo Goss, and these are goalkeepers who have been part of his camp for the past two years together. Recently, in the camp against Panama, Broos had said that he would have liked to see Petersen in camp, but he was out, recovering from an operation at the time.

"We only had one good training, and that was on Tuesday, and that was it. I don't know Brandon as a human being, so in those two days, you don't know how he will react if he doesn't play and what his reaction will be. And that made me choose not to take Brandon."

"It's not a question of quality. It's just the integration. So, this is very important that all those things you tick together and then make your choices, but sometimes it's still very difficult to choose between two players."

To be continued....