Why Hugo Broos believes Mbekezeli Mbokazi's R51m move to Chicago Fire is a mistake
Orlando Pirates defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi recently completed the move to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire.
Image: Chicago Fire on Facebook
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has made his feelings clear about Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s move from Orlando Pirates to Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.
Pirates and Chicago Fire both announced last week that Mbokazi will be heading to the United States after the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Reports suggest the transfer was concluded after the clubs agreed on a fee of around R51 million.
Speaking at the Bafana camp at the High Performance Centre in Tshwane on Wednesday, as the team prepared for Afcon in Morocco, Broos said he was not happy with the move.
“I’ll tell you what I think – no, it’s not a good move. What is he going to do there?” Broos said, according to FARPost.
“It’s not even a cup team in America. If my information is right, he’s going to play in MLS Next Pro with Chicago’s second team. I don’t know if it’s true; I’ll ask him when I see him. That’s even worse.
“But I know what happened. That woman who is his agent and thinks she knows football is doing what many agents are doing – it’s all about how much they can get. If she’s a little clever, she should know that Afcon and the World Cup are coming next year. There could have been better teams he could have gone to, not Chicago,” said the Belgian.
Broos has previously expressed his disappointment when players moved to the United States. Njabulo Blom and Bongokuhle Hlongwane were regulars in the national team but stopped receiving call-ups after heading to MLS.
Olwethu Makhanya has played well since joining Philadelphia Union from Stellenbosch FC, but has also been overlooked by the national team.
Mbokazi’s move to MLS will almost certainly put his place in next year’s World Cup squad under threat.
IOL Sport