Former Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth has told coach Hugo Broos to “just keep quiet” following his public justification of snubbing Mamelodi Sundowns stars Andile Jali and Themba Zwane from the national team.
There has been public outcry about the duo’s omission especially after Jali was named the Premier Soccer League Midfielder of the Season last term.
But Broos has, on a couple of occasions, defended his decision, insisting the they do not fit into what he is trying to achieve during his Bafana tenure.
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“If a player doesn’t suit your style then just keep quiet, ” Booth told iDiski Times.
“You don’t have to explain yourself, because ultimately those players are listening and you don’t wanna hurt players in that regard.
“They are both really strong characters, really experienced, they’ve had a great season, they’ve won the treble and so I don’t think it will be too much in that regard.
"From an ego point of view, they must be wanting to get back in the team and prove him wrong.”
Booth spent seven years in Russia playing for Rostov and Krylia Sovetov and didn’t feature for Bafana Bafana for the better part of that stint overseas.
The former defender says he can relate to how Jali and Zwane could be feeling by being shut out of the national team.
“My situation in comparison to Zwane and Jali was a little different because I was on a different continent, ” added Booth.
“It still hurts me, but it was a case of out of sight out of mind. For them I think it must hurt a lot more because they’ve just run away with the league, they were instrumental in doing so for their team.
“The coach actually picked them out and mentioned why they were not in line for the selection, I can’t agree with that.”
Booth is not the only Bafana legend to criticise Broos about Jali and Zwane as former South Africa captain Lucas Radebe headlines those disapproving of the decision.
With Broos having preferred younger players as well as older ones with little international football experience, Bafana failed to qualify for the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
They also started their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-1 defeat by Morocco.
