TS Galaxy boss Tim Sukazi has praised the PSL for laying the foundations of Bafana Bafana's return to the FIFA World Cup. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
TS Galaxy chairman and PSL executive committee member Tim Sukazi has credited the organisation for being the lifeblood of South African football, saying Bafana Bafana’s qualification for next month’s Fifa World Cup is the result of years of hard work by administrators and players.
On Wednesday night, Bafana coach Hugo Broos announced his final 23-man squad at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Hatfield ahead of the tournament, where South Africa will face co-hosts Mexico, South Korea and the Czech Republic in the group stage from June 11.
While there was a notable omission in the goalkeeping department, with in-form Brandon Petersen left out, defenders Olwethu Makhanya and Bradley Cross earned unexpected spots in the squad. The squad was dominated by locally based players, particularly from Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, with Sukazi saying the hard work of the league’s founders had paid off.
“Credit to the league, the executive committee led by chairman Irvin Khoza, and senior member Kaizer Motaung. This is the reward for many years of hard work. There has been a lot of blood, sweat and tears to build the league into what it is today,” Sukazi said.
Sukazi, who transitioned from being a player agent to a football administrator several years ago, believes Bafana can surprise many at the World Cup with a squad largely made up of locally based players.
“I think they will be a surprise package,” Sukazi said.
“We are taking a squad made up of about 80% locally based players. We have played in back-to-back Afcon tournaments with most of the players coming from our league, and I think that speaks to the quality of our league.”