Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos lauds improvement of PSL footballers after confronting fitness issues - 'We called them fat-ass players'

Hugo Broos has lauded the transformation of Premier Soccer League players since he took charge of Bafana Bafana in May 2021.

The 72-year-old says when he arrived in South Africa, he found most players in bad shape but is now satisfied with how they have improved fitness-wise.

“We can see already a change in the PSL,” said Broos as per Phakaaathi.
“There are still games where you say ‘oh well [this isn’t good]. But in the beginning there were games when I couldn’t believe my eyes at the level of the game and the players. We called them fat-ass players.
“You see them sometimes [now], but you see them less." the Belgian added.

"How can you play at a high level when you have an ass like that? You need to be an athlete. If you don’t live like a professional, you don’t train well and you don’t go to gym, you are finished.”

Now that he is satisfied with the conditions of PSL players, Broos might be left without excuses in his duties.

That could heighten expectations on him to lead Bafana to qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

This is a tournament which has arguably become a top priority for South Africa who last featured at the World Cup in 2010 as hosts.

Bafana will be back for international assignments in March when they host Lesotho in a World Cup qualifier.

They will then have an away mission against Benin the very same month as they seek to top Group C.