Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has shared his views on his side being deducted three points for fielding suspended Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho, saying everyone involved – including himself – is to blame.
Broos’ side were deducted three points by FIFA after being found guilty of fielding an “ineligible player” after Teboho Mokoena had picked up two yellow cards against Benin and Zimbabwe.
But Bafana still fielded him in their 2-0 win over Lesotho, which now resulted in FIFA deducting the points from that win and Bafana dropping into second place of Group C behind Benin.
During the announcement of his squad for the final two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda, Broos has addressed the issue.
“I know everything that happened in the last two weeks, but we’re still alive,” he said on SABC1.
“There is nothing changed, after the game against Nigeria we were three points ahead. We still had to win our last two games.
“Why believe Benin will win their last two games and we not. I don’t understand why people start doubting, and say we can’t qualify anymore…
“For me, honestly for me, I was also down, I have to be honest. When I read the letter, I said – well Ie will not say what I said – I was down also, but one hour later, I said, ‘Okay, now we are going to prove that even what they did now with us, even that will not keep us away from them’.”
Broos then also discussed the hotly-debated topic as to who is responsible for the blunder, saying even he himself is to blame.
“Who is responsible, and I see already that the minister also wants to investigate who is responsible, it’s clear – I’m responsible, I am the coach.
“I have to know that these guys have two yellow cards. My technical staff because they didn’t tell me that Teboho has two yellow cards.
“The team manager is responsible, because he didn’t follow up. The player is responsible, because he didn’t say anything.
“And the administration of SAFA is responsible, so no everybody knows who’s responsible. So stop with it, just focus on the two games that are coming now and support us like you did before.
“And we will see where we will arrive. But we will do everything, 100% to win those two games. Again for me it’s an extra motivation.”
