Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele has been given a special mention for the role he played in the selection of Orlando Pirates midfielder Thalente Mbatha.
Broos believes he has finally found what he has been looking for in the middle of the park in Mbatha, but he may not have given the player attention were it not for his right hand man, Mkhalele.
READ: Pirates Keeper Breaks Into Bafana Squad
After watching Mbatha, Broos was immediately convinced that the player should be in the national team, which is why he has been called up for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan.
"Honestly, we are looking for a few years for a player like him. He's really a defensive midfielder. He's also a guy who can pass the ball. He is tall, (which is) also important. I was very pleased when Helman said to me 'maybe we have to look at him. Maybe he will be something good for us'. So I went to look at little bit more to the games of Pirates. I was convinced immediately," Broos said after announcing his 23-man squad for the qualifiers.
Mbatha's guts and guile in the middle of the park are not the only qualities Broos is looking. It's his height that will play a big role in the national team.
READ: Pirates' Mbatha Attracts English Club
"This is something regular in African football, I am a little bit surprised. Every team we play against, there are six or seven guys who are 1.85cm or 1.90cm. For a long time, I think we were the smallest team. But now we have big players. We have (Siyabonga) Ngezana, we have (Sphephelo) Sithole and now Mbatha. For Thalente, he is the right player."
Mbatha's 2024 has been incredible. At the time he joined Pirates in January, he could hardly break into the starting line-up at SuperSport United. But when he got his opportunity to play at Pirates, he held on tight and never let go, becoming one of those players coach Jose Riveiro struggles to leave out of the team.
The 24-year-old, who signed a permanent deal with the Buccaneers after initially joining on loan, now has an opportunity to grab his chance and never look back in the Bafana Bafana squad.
