Defender Nyiko Mobbie has downplayed getting a lot of criticism from the country’s masses for his continued selection by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
Brandon Truter, his coach at Sekhukhune United where Mobbie is on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns also weighed in on the debate, saying he expects Mobbie to be on the plane for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in January and February in 2024 in Ivory Coast.
Mobbie said people will always talk and that all his focus is giving his best on the field which is what Broos has always acknowledged.
Since the Belgian tactician was appointed as Bafana coach in May 2021, Mobbie has been a regular feature in the side, and started as Bafana booked their spot by beating Liberia 2-1 away last month to qualify for the AFCON finals next year with a game to spare.
“I think people will always talk,” Mobbie told iDiski Times, having become a brunt of jokes on social media when Bafana were crushed 5-0 by France in Marseille in the friendly match last year March, struggling to contain Kylian Mbappe, who gives many top class defenders in Europe’s elite leagues headaches week in and week out.
“As a player I put things here at Sekhukhune to improve my game, and obviously I have to improve defensively and go forward.”
In these two qualifiers, many expected Khuliso Mudau to be part of the side, after a sterling job with newly crowned PSL champions of the 2022/23 season and in the CAF Champions League for Mamelodi Sundowns.
But Broos had none of that and opted for Mobbie instead, who he previously claimed has never disappointed him in the national team and his experience in the side is huge and beneficial to his selection.
Mobbie was asked if he also expects to be on the plane just like his coach Truter said, but he was modest about that but said he will carry on doing his best on the field.
“It is only the coach who will decide on that,” said Mobbie.
“All I know is no player has his place assured in the national team and everyone can go. It doesn’t matter who will go, as long as we go and do the job.”
When asked why Broos likes him so much despite his critics, he said people should ask the coach.
“I don’t know. He’s the one who knows why me and even myself I try to give my best when I get the chance,” he added.
“But obviously whenever I’m given a chance, I have to do well. But what gives me an edge, as I said, is all about hard work, trying to give my best, nothing else.”
Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).
