South Africa’s Hugo Broos dodges gunshot over picking Super Eagles striker as big game player
South African male football team coach, Hugo Broos, has revealed that he faced intense criticism and even death threats for not including Percy Tau in his list of impactful African football players, according to Soccernet.ng. In a recent interview, Broos mentioned Senegal's Sadio Mané and Nigeria's Victor Osimhen as big-game players, but excluded Tau, leading to a media frenzy in South Africa.
The 72-year-old coach disclosed that he received harsh criticism from the South African press, with some reactions being extreme. "They almost shot me for it," he said, highlighting the severity of the backlash. Broos' comments sparked a heated debate, with many South African fans and pundits expressing their disappointment and anger at his omission of Tau.
Ironically, Tau was later criticized for not playing well, highlighting the intense scrutiny Broos faced from the South African media. The coach expressed his reluctance to experience similar criticism in the future, hinting at potential implications for his coaching career.
Broos' comments have added fuel to the fire ahead of South Africa's crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on June 5. The match promises to be a highly charged encounter, with both teams seeking to secure three points and move closer to qualifying for the World Cup.