Hugo Broos sheds light on Sipho Mbule decision | OneFootball

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Broos explains Mbule call-up

Photo: Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has explained the decision to call-up Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule as a replacement for his club teammate Patrick Maswanganyi.

This comes after Tito was stretchered off injured in the Soweto giants’ dominant 3-0 victory over Chippa United in the Betway Premiership last Sunday.

Maswanganyi has been, for a long time, earmarked as Themba Zwane’s long-term replacement in the South African national team.

Now, with both playmakers absent due to injuries, the 72-year-old Belgian mentor turned to Mbule, who has often come under scrutiny for his off-field conduct.

“His [Patrick Maswanganyi’s] replacement is Sipho Mbule. Why Sipho Mbule? I think everybody agrees he’s a player with many qualities and I have to agree also that in the past years we didn’t really see what we expected from a player like that,” Broos clarified the player’s selection.

“But he’s an experienced player and he is one of the players who can play on that [no.10] position. You know already that for more than a year we have been looking for a replacement of Themba [Zwane]. We had Tito, but Tito is now also injured.

“So, it was very difficult to find someone with those qualities, and I think with Mbule, we got the right player on the right position. But I have to tell you also that when he comes to training, I will have a little chat with him, and I will exactly tell him what we expect from him.

Bafana will face Lesotho in the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on Friday, 05 September, at Free State Stadium, before renewing their rivalry with the Super Eagles of Nigeria four days later at the same venue.