Broos upset about Rhulani’s comments about injured Sundowns players

By Ayanda Nyuswa

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has expressed his displeasure at Rhulani Mokwena’s comments about niggling injuries of key Sundowns players  ahead of the FIFA Series matches that will kick off this week. Bafana Bafana have arrived in Annaba, Algeria ahead of the FIFA Series encounters against Andorra on Thursday 21 March and Algeria on Tuesday 26 March.

Hugo Broos’ 23-man squad for the FIFA series includes seven Mamelodi Sundowns players, who haven’t travelled with the whole squad due to Nedbank Cup comitments, but are expected to join the team soon ahead of the first match against Andorra. Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Tebogo Mokoena and Themba Zwane are nursing injuries and did not feature for Sundowns in their 2-0 Nedbank Cup win over Maritzburg United. After the match Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena confirmed the injuries of Williams (Shoulder) and Mokoena (knee) which kept them out of the previous outings, and cast a doubt on their involvement in Bafana’s North African trip.

The 71 year-old Belgian coach says he received no communication or medical reports from Mamelodi Sundowns about the injured players, and is still expecting all Sundowns players who have been called up to arrive at camp for the FIFA Series matches.

“I don’t have that information (about injured players) so I expect the seven players of Sundowns tonight here in camp,” said Broos speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

“I heard some rumours and I think I read something about coach Rhulani saying the players are not fit blah blah. Why is talking to the press? Why is the medical staff of Sundowns not making contact with our medical staff, why they don’t tell them this is the problem and this is the medical report, look those players are not fit to play. They didn’t they just talk to the press. I am very sorry but I can’t believe what is in the papers I think this is a very important matter that needs to be discussed by Doctors not the press. I am very sorry but I am upset about that kind of information.”

Picture: SAFA.net