Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker feels Hugo Broos has assembled a competitive squad that could cause some upsets at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Barker, fresh from winning his first domestic competition in South African top-flight football will be in action this weekend as his side face the Carling PSL All-Star XI in the Carling Cup.
Currently third in the league and Carling Knockout champions, his youthful squad were always going to catch the eye of Bafana selectors, and it was no surprise to see their midfield general Jayden Adams included.
While he mentioned a couple of others that should feel hard done by after being overlooked; Sage Stephens and Fawaz Basadien – he feels Bafana could go beyond the group stages in Ivory Coast.
“We have to support the Bafana team, at the end of the day the coach makes decisions, I think it’s a really good team, especially our starting XI, it’s a competitive team,” Barker said about Broos’ 23-man squad.
“I think with having so many Sundowns players in the team and them doing so well on the continent, it’s the way I anticipate they will be going, so I have a feeling we can do well in this AFCON, the later stage of the tournament.
“We have to get behind the coach, support, obviously a couple of players unlucky not to make the squad but at the end of the day, he selects players who have been there and he’s trusting – sometimes coaches do that. Players don’t let you down, there’s no reason to drop them.”
The 22-year-old Adams recently surpassed the 100-game mark for Stellies this season and as the second youngest player selected behind Thapelo Maseko, he looks set to become a key figure for the national team based on his current career trajectory.
“We’re delighted for Jayden, you saw in the second half [against Pirates] why he’s in the Bafana squad,” Barker said about the midfielder.
“He stood up, got on the ball, helped us play, so that was a tactical change to put him in the six role, he’s comfortable on the ball [to help us with the build-up], he got the ball, kept it, rotating – so he showed courage and bravery.
“Defensively he was also superb, he showed why he’s in the squad so we wish him well.”
The Bafana squad will assemble for camp in the Western Cape tomorrow at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS).
