A growing sentiment among some Kaizer Chiefs supporters on social media suggests that Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos carries a bias against the club’s players.
The perception has made waves following the latest national team squad selection, which notably did not include a single player from Amakhosi, a pattern that has persisted throughout Broos’ tenure.
TSEPO MASILELA SIDES WITH KAIZER CHIEFS FANS
The recent Bafana Bafana squad announcement was met with disappointment from Amakhosi supporters, especially given that in-form goalkeeper Brandon Petersen was overlooked despite his impressive performances on the pitch.
This exclusion has led many to question whether Broos’s selections are influenced by a bias against Kaizer Chiefs players, raising fears that the club may not have a representative at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) next month.
The controversy was discussed on Soccer Beat, where host Peter Du Toit engaged Chiefs legend Tsepo Masilela to shed light on whether the fans’ feelings are justified. Masilela acknowledged that the fans’ frustrations are understandable to an extent.
“It’s understandable, in a sense of, you know, maybe the comments that the coach made, you know, in previous years also, you know, they didn’t sit well with the Kaizer Chiefs fans,” the former star said.
In reference to coach Broos’ blunt comments to disagree that the club has improved, Masilela emphasised that communication style plays a vital role.
“Sometimes it’s not about, it’s about how you say things, you know, as a coach. Also, you must remember the responsibility of the coach. You’re the leader, so your voice and how you say things… you know, there are certain cases where I felt also, you know, he could have maybe said things in a better way.”
“It has come to a point where the fans… they’re feeling like, ‘Ah, the coach doesn’t love Kaizer Chiefs, he doesn’t like Kaizer Chiefs, he’s anti-Kaizer Chiefs,’” Masilela said. “Are they right? Part of me says no, you know, because it’s a national team. It’s a national duty. At the end of the day, we want to see Bafana do well. If Bafana wins the AFCON, everyone wants to be celebrating,” the former left-back added.
The last Amakhosi star to earn a call-up was Mduduzi Shabalala in October for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
CAF CONFEDERATION CUP
In the meantime, the Amakhosi nation is focused on the weekend. The Glamour Boys are travelling to Egypt to battle Al-Masry in the opening game of the CAF Confederation Cup group stages. The match is set for Sunday at 18:00 at the Suez Stadium.
Also read: Rulani Mokwena: Coach Pitso Mosimane opened the door
