Hugo Broos explains Nemtajela, Makgalwa call-ups | OneFootball

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Broos on Nemtajela, Makgalwa decision

Photo: Gallo Images

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has explained why he opted to hand Masindi Nemtajela and Keletseo Makgalwa their maiden senior national team call-ups.

The pair could be in line to make their debuts when Bafana tackle Zambia in an international friendly match at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, 15 November.

Though the Chipolopolo clash is a dead rubber, the Belgian mentor cautioned against complacency, urging his troops to bring their A-game to win the match in a bid to improve their FIFA rankings.

“We are preparing for the game of Saturday, a friendly game. But for me friendly games don't exist, every game we have to be focused and concentrated and try to win that game and it will not be different for this game,” said Broos.

"I want to win on Saturday and that's all. So, that's why my first idea was to let players of Sundowns and Pirates in their clubs because of a very overloaded program but at the end I changed my mind because again I want to win.

"Why I want to win - first of all it's important for our ranking. So, we want to stay certainly in the first 10 and even go to nine again and I think the defeat of Lesotho made us go down to 10. Secondly, we are one month before AFCON and it shouldn't be a good thing if we lose the game on Saturday.

He continued: "So, I will ask from every player, focus and concentration like we had for the qualifiers. Even [though] it's not a qualifier but I will not accept that players are taking this game such as a little holiday - I want to win on Saturday.

Broos went on to state that he called up Nemtajela and Makgalwa due their eye-catching displays for Orlando Pirates and Sekhukhune United, respectively.

“On the other side, it's also an opportunity for me to call some players who I want to see a little bit more from closer - therefore these two guys are here with us. They make good performances with their clubs, so I think they deserve to be with us,” he added.

"It's now up to them in the next few days to prove that they are in the right place here, that they are players for the future who can help us. It can be the near future, it can be maybe later but that's the reason why they are here.

"And again, the performance in their clubs is the most important thing but this is a step higher and it's up to them to show that they can make that step.