AFCON winner Hugo Broos named new Bafana Bafana coach

Belgium’s Hugo Broos was on Wednesday unveiled as the new coach of South Africa’s men’s national football team.

Broos replaces Molefi Ntseki who was sacked in late March after Bafana Bafana’s failure to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) said the Belgian is expected to arrive in the country next week after which he will hold a meeting with football stakeholders.

SAFA, however, did not reveal further details about the 69-year-old’s appointment, such as the length of his contract.

Broos, who spoke from Europe during the ceremony, said he was delighted to coach “a truly football nation with massive potential”.

Broos said his priority will building up a new squad which will be a force to reckon with in continental and global tournaments.

‘’My main focus will be to weave in new players who have hunger and desire to achieve things. Young players are ambitious and want to prove a point. I need to start from there because I want to build a strong Bafana Bafana side for the future,” he said.

Broos has enjoyed success on the continent leading Cameroon to a fifth Africa Cup of Nations title in 2017. He will be tasked with reviving Bafana Bafana’s fortunes which have failed to meet expectations for the better part of the last decade.

South Africa is set to begin its qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in June. The 1996 African champions are in Group G together with Ghana, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.

South Africa is scheduled to kick off its campaign with an away encounter against Zimbabwe in Harare on June 8 before hosting Ghana the following week.

Broos acknowledged a possible postponement of the World Cup qualifiers from June to September would help him better prepare for the campaign.