Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has questioned the limited game time of Mamelodi Sundowns duo Khuliso Mudau and Teboho Mokwena who he feels should be playing regularly.
The two have become bit-part players at Sundowns this season with Mokwena yet to taste league action while Mudau was a substitute in the Brazilians’ 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs last weekend.
Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has maintained a tough stance on his squad, saying starting positions must be earned, leading to speculation that there could be a lot at play behind the scenes.
Given both players are among Broos’ key men in the national team, the veteran tactician is struggling to understand why they are not getting selected.
What does Broos make of Mudau & Mokoena’s predicament?
“That’s a problem and I know,” Broos said on SABC on Thursday after unveiling his final squad for this month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo.
“I don’t think it will be a problem now but if this situation is going on, then we have a problem with Teboho and we have a problem with Khuliso. At the other side, I have to respect the decisions of the coach there.
“Okay, he will have his reasons but from my side, it is difficult to understand why players like Teboho, why players like Khuliso are not playing. They were one of the best players in AFCON. They did fantastic games with the national team and suddenly for one or another reason they are not good enough to play. And that is difficult for me to accept.”
How will the limited game time affect the two in future?
Broos says the lack of game time at club level could also affect the two player’s positions in the national team if the situation does not change in the near future.
“But okay that’s the decision of the coach there at Sundowns and we will see what happens in the next weeks. But again, if that situation stays, I have to review also my opinion about Teboho and about Khuliso, not that they are not good enough, but because they are not playing,” Broos added.
Mudau is expected to start at right-back with Mokoena in central midfield when South Africa take on Congo on October 11 and 15 despite their limited game time at club level.
