Muhsin Ertugral defends Hugo Broos amid World Cup criticism with Bafana Bafana
2026 WORLD CUP
THERE is little to no hope that Bafana Bafana will get the desired result against South Korea with coach Hugo Broos remaining defiant of criticism.
Image: AFP
Muhsin Ertugral has defended his Bafana Bafana counterpart, Hugo Broos, asserting that he has fully earned his credentials to coach the national team.
Broos has the opportunity to guide Bafana Bafana to their first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout stage if they defeat South Korea in their final Group A match at Monterrey Stadium on Thursday morning at 3am.
However, Broos’s journey to this pivotal moment at the World Cup has not been easy. He faced heavy criticism for adopting a defensive strategy in the opening loss to Mexico, which ended 2-0.
That criticism was amplified by the team's performance in their 1-1 draw against Czechia. When Broos employed a slightly more offensive approach, but only in the second half, resulting in the team showing some heart and energy.
Broos did not accept the criticism passively. He boldly stated that he stood by his tactics against Mexico and emphasized that, with 40 years of coaching experience, he does not take orders on how to manage his team.
The Belgian coach further noted that critics have only recently taken an interest in Bafana Bafana now that the team has returned to the global stage, despite his instrumental role in building the squad over the past five years.
Ertugral, himself an experienced coach, believes Broos was right to defend himself, though he suggests the timing and platform for doing so were ill-chosen.
“I really understand his response, but I find the moment a bit unlucky,” Ertugral exclusively told Independent Media ahead of Bafana’s final group stage match. “Experience is very important, and Broos has achieved that.”
“Criticism is part of the game. Every coach is analyzed in detail, especially on the world stage. But I believe Bafana today has more structure, belief, and identity than they did a few years ago. That is part of Broos’s contribution, isn't it?”
One thing is certain, though, should Broos continue with his conservative approach on Thursday, Bafana will be on the next flight leaving USA for South Africa.
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