Bafana Bafana‘s head coach, Hugo Broos, has elucidated the rationale behind selecting Panama as their forthcoming opponents, while also citing the unfeasibility of securing Brazil or Argentina.
The upcoming fixtures against Panama, scheduled for Durban and Cape Town, will serve as a crucial warm-up for the FIFA World Cup.
- ALSO READ: Broos Makes Bold Promise Over Hattrick Hero Mofokeng
- Broos – Jayden Had Lost Himself At Sundowns…
Broos emphasized the importance of facing a team with similarities to Mexico, whom they will encounter in the tournament’s opening game.
Additionally, Broos revealed that despite interest from prominent teams like Brazil and Argentina, the May camp’s opponents remain unconfirmed due to financial constraints.
“We have to play against a Middle American team because their style is totally different.”
“Normally, the best scenario is that you can play against an Asian team, a Middle American team, and a European team. But I talked to Lydia, the CEO, a few minutes ago, and she told me that Brazil wanted to play against us at home. I said, ‘Oh, very good, why not?’ They wanted to play in May, but they asked for $5 million to come. A few months ago, Argentina also wanted to play against us in Johannesburg and they wanted €5 million.
“You understand, it’s easy to say ‘why not’. So, Panama is coming for free, or rather, we have to pay not only for the trip but also some money to play two games. SAFA made a big effort to have Panama.
“Now, we’ll see what we can get, either an Asian team or a European team for May. I know it’s easier with European teams because the money is there, but we don’t have that money.
“If you go play against Argentina or Brazil in FNB, it’s full, people are on the roof. When Brazil plays in Belgium, the cheapest ticket is R800, which is €40. In South Africa, nobody will pay R800 for a ticket. If that were possible, you could invite those teams because with 90,000 people, you never lose money when you can ask those prices for tickets.
“Again, I’m very happy with Panama, and I hope we can find an opponent for May, either Asian or European. It doesn’t matter, but we don’t have other choices because our preparation will be totally different from the majority of teams in the World Cup. We have to adapt to high altitude, so between June 1st and June 11th, we can play a game.”
Did you know that the iDiski Times Digital Newspaper is completely free! Download it now by clicking the button below or fill in the form to have it sent to you every week.
