Unhappy Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos vows not 'to have mercy' against Cameroon in AFCON Round of 16

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is unhappy about the logistics by CAF and Morocco ahead of the Round of 16 game against 2017 champions Cameroon.

South Africa advanced after finishing second in Group B, while the Indomitable Lions also trailed leaders Ivory Coast in Group F.

The veteran tactician is unhappy that Bafana Bafana have to travel for 25 minutes to access their training ground before the crucial encounter.

The tactician has questioned why CAF allowed the facility to be used, considering the distance from their hotel.

“I’m not so happy with the current situation, we are 25 minutes away from our training pitch,” Broos told the media ahead of the Sunday game.

“That means that like [Friday] we had over two hours to wait, 45 minutes to drive to training, 1 hour 15 minutes training, and another 45 minutes drive.

“It doesn’t make me happy, such things. And certainly not, if my information is right, Cameroon, and we have to train in the base camp of Morocco, our next opponent. I don’t understand how CAF allows that – but ok, I have to say it because it makes me unhappy," he added.

The former Belgium international has further underlined the importance of beating the Indomitable Lions, but played down reports he is driven by rage following his sacking in February 2018.

“The game of tomorrow [Sunday] is surely a special game for me. As you know, I won AFCON with our opponent [Cameroon in 2017], even though there are not so many players anymore; only Bassogog and N’Koudou, the rest I don’t really know," Broos added.

“But if you win an AFCON with a country, there is always a little place in your heart that stays, and that’s the case also with Cameroon and me; it will always be there.

“Tomorrow I can’t have mercy with them, I’m the coach of South Africa now. But it’s a special game, I have to say that.

“It doesn’t mean that we are not going to fight for tomorrow [Sunday]," the tactician added.

“I was surprised a little bit by the Cameroon team – it changed a lot when you compare it with the qualifiers for the World Cup. I was a little bit surprised to see them playing.

“It’s a very good team, it’s a young team, some talented players. There is a good fighting spirit, a good mentality.

“That means that tomorrow we have to achieve our best level if we want to beat them," he continued.

"Why should I have revenge?" Broos further responded when he was asked about getting one over Cameroon.

"I simply got to the end of my contract and they did not renew it. There is no revenge.

"I know what happened at that time and why I was sacked. That was about eight years ago. Why should I want to beat Cameroon now because they sacked me?" He concluded.

This is the last AFCON for Hugo Broos before his retirement in June.

The tactician will surely want to leave a legacy, having made his name in Mzansi since his appointment a couple of years ago.

After the conclusion of AFCON, he will start the preparations for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.