Records secondary as Hugo Broos begins new youth project at Bafana Bafana

Broos became the longest-serving Bafana head coach ever at the beginning of last month, four years in charge as of the 5th of May.

But there’s also an important stat of Broos not having lost a game in South Africa since his arrival in 2021, but the Belgian-born coach is not driven by records but the process.

"Ask me how many games we didn't lose, I don't know. Is it 25, is it 30? I don't know, I know but it’s nice when you hear that and I'm proud of it when I hear those records, they are very nice records. So, also for tonight, I'm not thinking, ow I have to win, then it's my 35th, 36th game without a defeat, no,” Broos said.

“I'm not thinking like that, for me, it's important what our plans were before. We have a friendly game, we can call up younger players, they lose, okay we lose but the most important thing is, okay what did I see? Next week after the second game, what did I see.

“Which players are here, which players are really much, much further. Can we use them in the future and so on, that is for me important and all the rest tonight and next week.

”If we lose, I will not be happy because I want to win, I like to win but I know also that there is a reason why we shouldn't or we should lose tomorrow. I know that already now, so therefore, okay, we will try to win and it should be good for the players also. “The younger players they can win immediately their first game but again, this is not the most important thing tomorrow."

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Broos has also reiterated that he will not be rushing Amajita players to the Bafana team.

In this current Bafana camp in Polokwane, the 73-year-old mentor has two players from the U20 group, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Simphiwe Selepe.

This is part of the gradual selection process he’s talking about, and also helps the young talent ahead of the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile in September.

"No, I don't think we have to rush with those guys. They are young, they did a fantastic result with winning AFCON but now we don't have to think now suddenly they have already the level of a Bafana Bafana,” the coach explained.

“Secondly, there is a World Cup, I think it's much better for them now that they still play in the World Cup again in two months and three months and to have that international experience on their level.

“We don't have to underestimate a World Cup. So, they will play against very good teams, against very good players, so for them it's a new experience and I think it's much better to give them that experience than to call them immediately already for Bafana Bafana and I'm sure they don't have the moment for Bafana Bafana.

“It's impossible, they are 18, 19, 17 years old. So, it's much better that they can have experience on their level."