Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has come down hard on the Premier Soccer League for their reluctance to halt domestic proceedings when he had requested them to do so in advance.
The mentor has hinted that South Africa's current situation where they have a few injury fears in the squad have occurred because of the PSL failing to take his advice.
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Domestic matches continued as far as December 31. Compare that to how Broos had requested for all matches to cease before December 24 to allow the national team to begin preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations.
There are new casualties for three players in Themba Zwane, Mothobi Mvala and Ronwen Williams who have picked up injuries. They will miss the friendly against Lesotho that will be played behind closed doors on Wednesday.
"You know the discussions I had with the PSL, honestly all these players were not really recovered, we see that and we feel that, that was my fear," Broos told the local media.
Broos then went on to criticise the PSL's support of Bafana and analyse the schedule of the main contributor of his squad, Sundowns.
"You feel in training the measurements we took; the players were not 100 percent fresh and this is what I said already eight months ago when I asked them to stop on the 24th of December.
"Those players needed that, looking at the programme they had of games in the last two months and even from the beginning like Sundowns, they played every three days from August until December and again I don't understand that the league of a country (doesn't) accept to stop the league on the 24th (of December).
"They even knew it before the end of last season. I'm really sorry to say it and don't tell me that they support Bafana Bafana, it's a laugh," he stated.
Though, one of these casualties, captain Williams confirms his injury isn't too severe and that will at least come as a relief to Broos.
"It's just a niggle that I got on my knee. It's something that reoccurs when there are lots loading when I play a lot of games and it's just something I've been managing over the last year or so.
"It's nothing serious, it's just something I need to manage and need to look after so I've been getting wonderful treatment in camp since I have got here. So, I'll be on the pitch in no time," noted the 31-year-old goal-minder.
With Afcon getting underway this weekend, Bafana are placed in Group E alongside tricky opponents Mali, Tunisia and Namibia. They open their campaign on January 16 against Mali.
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