Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos expressed frustration with Mbekezeli Mbokazi after the powerful defender missed his flight from Durban to Pretoria to join the national team for their preparations ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Broos indicated his reluctance to speak about Mbokazi, despite being questioned about the defender’s recent transfer to Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire in the USA.
Previously, the former Cameroon coach expressed concerns regarding South African players transitioning to the USA, having previously overlooked players such as Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Cassius Mailula for similar reasons.
Mailula's transfer to Toronto FC in 2023 from Mamelodi Sundowns had been discouraged by Broos, who suggested he remain at Sundowns for opportunities in Europe, criticizing agents for prioritizing commissions over player development.
In an unexpected turn, when media anticipated Broos to criticize Mbokazi’s move to Chicago Fire, the coach unveiled new details regarding the young defender.
“Mbokazi—he just arrived or will arrive in 15 minutes,” Broos informed journalists at the Bafana Bafana camp on Wednesday.
“I didn’t want to speak about it, but okay, you asked the question, and you have the right to know that I’m not pleased with what he did.
“He informed us that he missed his flight yesterday [Tuesday] in Durban. It was the Orlando Pirates coach [Abdelsam Ouaddou] who told me, and he was very angry that the boy missed his flight. His words were: ‘It’s an unprofessional attitude.’
“And I think I’ve already spoken to you about the unprofessional behaviour of South African players. This is another example. Then Pirates sent me a message with nonsense—really nonsense—about why he missed his plane. I won’t tell you what the nonsense was, but the worst part is that a club protects a player after such unprofessional behaviour.
“This is South Africa, and it is very bad—very, very bad. When you’re a 19-year-old [now 20] and you receive a national-team call-up to play at AFCON and possibly the World Cup next year, and the coach even gives you a few extra days off.
“If you have the right attitude, you don’t even want those two days. You would be here on Monday, like the other players.
“So, I will have a chat with him [Mbokazi] after training. And I can assure you, he is a black guy, and he will walk out of my room as a white guy.
“Because I can’t accept this. But I know why—because suddenly Mbokazi is a star. He thinks he is a star!
“This is the attitude of a star: ‘I will decide when I come.’ I will explain it to him. I’m very angry—very angry about his attitude.”
Mbokazi is set to join Chicago Fire in January after the Africa Cup of Nations, having recently played his last match for Orlando Pirates in the Carling Knockout Cup final, where he celebrated the trophy victory over Marumo Gallants at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
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