BAFANA Bafana goalkeeper Veli Mothwa has heaped praise on national team head coach Hugo Broos for reviving the ambitions of a sleeping giant on the continent.
The AmaZulu goalminder formed part of Bafana’s amazing run to a third-place finish in the recent Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast.
The South African national team broke a 24-year barren spell at the continental showpiece as they claimed the bronze medal at the illustrious tournament.
Mothwa, who had to watch from the bench, became the darling of South African football social media as he showed support to national team captain Ronwen Williams between the sticks as well as the rest of the squad.
The 33-year-old is a relatively late bloomer and broke into the national team set-up two and half years ago at the beginning of Broos’ tenure with Bafana.
His star showings at the 2021 Cosafa Cup forced him into the long-term plans of the Belgian coach’s national team set-up.
Although he missed out on selection in the last set of friendly matches against Andorra and Algeria alongside the likes of Percy Tau, Evidence Makgopa and Mothobi Mvala, Mothwa has opened up about the sterling efforts of Broos to reignite hope within the national team.
The Zebediela, Limpopo-born player expressed how Broos’ seniority and man-management style have laid the foundations of a new-look Bafana.
“Well, I can’t speak about how different it is from previous eras because I’ve only played for Broos in the national team, but Broos is like a father to all of us, a father that pushes discipline and respect in us,” Mothwa told the media.
“When you come in as a new player in the national team, they sit you down and ask you what are you good at and after that, he instils his knowledge on you about what you can do best. He will then polish it for you and make it shine in the national team when you’re playing.”
“(He makes you believe) that you are the star that most people don’t see in you. For example, Nyiko Mobbie and Siyanda Xulu, most people think they aren’t fit for the national team, but if you look at their records in the national team, it’s better because there’s a father who’s polishing everyone there.”
Since his return from the Afcon, Mothwa has gone on to reclaim his place as the number one man in AmaZulu’s goalkeeping slot.
The experienced keeper was instrumental in helping Usuthu seal passage to the last eight of the Nedbank Cup against Sekhukhune United and won the Player of the Match accolade in the process.