Not a good move! Mbekezeli Mbokazi blasted for signing for Chicago Fire before AFCON 'I agree with coach Hugo Broos' words'

Hugo Broos has never shied away from criticising players who join leagues he considers not competitive for South African stars.

When Mohau Nkota joined Al-Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia, Broos said he was not happy with such a move, and he was also honest when Mbokazi left Orlando Pirates.

Now, Ugandan-born football player's agent and scout Paul Mujuni agrees with Broos that Mbokazi's move was untimely.

"I saw Mbokazi signing for Chicago Fire FC. My opinion is this was not really a good move for a player of his calibre," Mujuni told KickOff.

"I agree with coach Hugo Broos's words; Europe would be a better option for these youngsters. Even Nkota [Mohau] should have moved to Europe.

"I think Orlando Pirates is giving an option to the highest bidder. They should consider a player's career as well. These are well-developed youngsters."

"We all know Pirates have a good history when it comes to developing youngsters, but they should try to find a market in Europe. North America and Saudi Arabia, or the Middle East, are more for experienced players."

The agent has stated that Mboakzi should have waited for a better offer that would have allowed him to follow in the footsteps of his Bafana teammate, Lyle Foster.

"Of course, AFCON is just around the corner this month; why the rush? He should have finished playing AFCON and even the World Cup. Europe should have been a better option.

"Look at how another Pirates product, Lyle Foster, started in France, and now he is in the Premier League. It should have been the same way for Nkota and Mbokazi. Mofokeng [Relebohile] should also go to Europe. The more South African players in European leagues, the better the national team."

After Broos expressed his dissatisfaction over the move, his choice of words in his criticism put him under scrutiny. The Belgian particularly attacked Mbokazi's agent and later apologised.

“I think no [it’s not a good move]. What is he going to do in Chicago?” Broos stated.

“It’s not even a cup team in America. If my info is right, they told me he’s playing in MLS2, at the second team of Chicago – if it’s true, I don’t know; I will ask him when I see him. That is even worse.

“But I know what happened; a woman who is his agent and thinks she knows football is doing what many agents are doing and thinking, ‘How much can I get?’ If she is a little bit clever, she knows there is AFCON, and next year it’s the World Cup, and that there will be other teams, better for his career, to go to and not to Chicago. 

“What is he going to do there alone in a big city like that? So no, I don’t think it’s a good choice,” he concluded.

Mbokazi's move to MLS has divided opinion right in the middle, and one of those to have added his voice is Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana legend Doctor Khumalo.

Khumalo said MLS could be a blessing in disguise for Mbokazi, as he can start there before another big move.

 "When I played in the US, it was 1996. I think that’s when the MLS started, and Shaun Bartlett and I were the two players that came from South Africa," Khumalo said.

"I guess the competitiveness of their league was not that much stronger than the way it is now because we're looking at big names that are there. 

"I strongly believe that he has gone to a team that is going to properly challenge him and [make him] grow as a player because I can imagine playing against [Lionel] Messi and other big names that are there in the USA. 

"I know a lot of people; they don’t respect the MLS, but I can tell you that it is a competitive league," added the Bafana legend. 

"For him to be going to Chicago, I think it will be a blessing in disguise for him to go and start there, and probably in years to come, he can venture into Europe."