Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has expressed his disappointment at the lack of cooperation from the PSL when it comes to the Africa Cup of Nations preparations.
Broos revealed that he sent a letter to the PSL at the end of last season requesting that the DSTV Premiership fixtures should end on December 23, however, the final round of matches for 2023 will be played on December 30.
The Belgian coach feels that the players need a bit of a break before going into camp to prepare for the continental showdown, which is why he had requested for fixtures to stop on December 23.
“You know, the players of Bafana Bafana, 80 percent are playing for top teams of South Africa. So that means they will play many games. It should have been good to give those players six or seven days off, so the PSL should have stopped on the 23rd (of December), like I asked immediately after last season. I did not even wait two days. After the last game finished, the next day we sent a letter and asked them to stop the PSL on the 23rd, so that we can give the players six or seven days. Did they read the letter? I don’t know,” Broos said during a press conference held at FNB Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
“They ignored it. Then I saw the program (the fixtures), and the first thing I saw was that it stops on the 31st and I was like ‘why was I expecting something?’ It doesn’t interest them. They just don’t want to give you a good opportunity and a good environment to prepare the team.”
The Africa Cup of Nations is set to be played in Ivory Coast in January and February and Broos is hoping that the PSL will reconsider their decision and give the players the break they need to prepare for the tournament.
