AmaZulu midfielder Ethan Brooks says he is working hard to get back into Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana selections after missing out since March 2022.
Brooks joined Usuthu at the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign from TS Galaxy and arrived late in the pre-season, missing a key part of the season under then coach Brandon Truter.
He was involved with the Bafana B side in the COSAFA Cup in Durban and it is why Brooks struggled last term to get going. This season, though, Brooks has started all five matches under new coach Pablo Franco Martin.
New signing Rowan Human is also going through a similar phase, arriving at Usuthu late in camp after he was involved in the COSAFA Cup in June and July also in Durban.
It has worked against him and Martin confirmed that Human, who was at his best in the later part of last season with Maritzburg United, is still adjusting to life and that’s why he has seen little game-time.
While in Human’s case it is about getting to understand the environment at AmaZulu and get his fitness back, Brooks had to overcome an injury which put him on the back foot to get going.
Brooks, who was left in tears in November 2021 when Bafana could not qualify for the FIFA World Cup last year, has explained why he has started well this season.
“I’m not sure if you were aware last season, I was injured,” said Brooks.
“That was also one of the reasons [I didn’t start well at AmaZulu] and in the end I didn’t get picked for the Bafana Bafana squad.
“So it is up to me to get back into the Bafana team again.”
Bafana, who face Congo DR on Tuesday, will start the 2026 FIFA Cup CAF qualifiers in November against Benin and those will be followed by the Africa Cup of Nations finals (AFCON) in Ivory Coast in January and February next year.
Brooks, who was last involved with Bafana against France when Broos’ side were hammered 5-0 in March last year, wants to get back to the national team.
“It is definitely one of the goals for me [to play at CAF World Cup qualifiers and AFCON finals],” said Brooks.
“Like you said, I have started very well this season and I’m working very hard to get back to where I was. So it is one of the goals that I really want to achieve.”
