South Africa coach tells critics to ‘shut up’ before second World Cup match
South Africa's head coach Hugo Broos has hit back at critics of his tactics following a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, insisting he will continue to do things his way. He also stressed the importance of winning against Czechia to keep tournament hopes alive.
Hugo Broos, the coach of South Africa's national football team Bafana Bafana, has told his detractors to “shut up” ahead of his team's Group A match against Czechia. Broos faced widespread criticism after South Africa’s opening World Cup game last Thursday, a 2-0 loss to Mexico in which they created no clear chances and finished with nine men after two red cards in the second half.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the veteran Belgian coach, who has been in charge for 40 years, defended his approach. “I never listen to the trash of social media. I never listen to people who feel they are important enough to criticise the team… I think it should be better that they shut up,” he said, referring to former player pundits.
Broos reiterated that he would continue to do things his own way, saying he knows what went wrong against Mexico and that the players know too. He stressed the urgency of Thursday’s match in Atlanta, noting that a victory is essential for any chance of advancing. Czechia also lost their opening match, falling to South Korea.
“If we don't win tomorrow, we play our last game against South Korea for nothing,” Broos said, adding that the team will try to improve, particularly by having more possession. He also addressed criticism that he is too soft on players, explaining that he prefers not to blame them publicly.
