Snl24 | Chiefs’ new man presents unique solution for Broos

Bafana Bafana players training at Dobsonville Stadium ahead of their match against Uganda in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

Zamani Makautsi/Zakes Photography

Head coach Hugo Broos has revealed at least one problem solved by the presence of Kaizer Chiefs defender Rushwin Dortley in the Bafana Bafana squad, as well as one player the Belgian regrets not picking.

Dortley was one of the break-out stars of the 2023/24 season, featuring 28 times for Spurs, even if they got relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship after a disastrous team campaign.

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Nevertheless, the left-footed centre-back impressed enough to be part of the Helman Mkhalele-led Bafana Bafana squad that went to the COSAFA Cup in June, where he was also named captain.

His form at the tournament and subsequent move to Chiefs has also seen him selected to the main national squad led by Broos.

The Belgian mentor has revealed that Dortley’s physical qualities, such as his height and left-foot presence, make him a unique option.

“That [height factor] is also something we’ve been looking at [for] a long time,” Broos said.

“We’ve always had a central defender right-footed on the left side and that was not really a problem. Mothobi did it very well in all the games he played. He’s not with us and I regret it a little bit because he is the guy with the mentality that I want to see as a defender.

“But now, with Rushwin, we have a left-footed player and that makes it easier in building up. He is never on his bad side, he is with a left football and that makes it that maybe in building up we can make progress also.

“When I came here, I had players of 175cm and 180cm at most – the heights. We had some problems in some games because we didn’t have the height, we didn’t have the power. So, we looked for it and we found it.

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“The goalkeeper coach [Grant Johnson] said to me yesterday: ‘We have a big team’, and it’s true. We have some big guys here and you need that. 

“It’s not only enough that you can play football when you don’t have the physical qualities. It’s difficult in modern football, you have to be a guy with exceptional talent.

“So, yes, we did a good job. When you see the guys now, like [Sphephelo] Sithole, like Dortley, [Siyabonga] Ngezana, we are there where we need to be and we will need them tomorrow [Friday] in that game against Uganda because there are several guys with that height,” says the Belgian.

Bafana take on Uganda at Orlando Stadium on Friday, with kick-off at 18:00.