Hugo Broos criticises AFCON organisation and atmosphere in Morocco
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has launched a scathing critique of the organisation and atmosphere surrounding the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, NigeriaSoccernet.com reports.
Speaking candidly, the Belgian tactician compared the current experience unfavourably with past AFCON tournaments in Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire, where he believes fan engagement and overall organisation were significantly better.
“I don’t feel the same atmosphere as in Gabon or Côte d’Ivoire,” Broos said.
“In Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon, you could really feel the atmosphere of a tournament. When we took the bus to training, people were waving flags and greeting us. Here, there’s nothing.”
Broos lamented what he described as the absence of the typical AFCON buzz, noting that matchday attendances have been disappointingly low unless entry is free.
“There’s no atmosphere, none of the typical AFCON vibe.
If entry to the stadium isn’t free, no one comes to watch the matches,” he added.
The South Africa coach cited his team’s group-stage fixtures as examples, claiming there was little fan presence during Bafana Bafana’s matches against Zimbabwe and Angola, in stark contrast to the packed stadiums they experienced in Côte d’Ivoire against Mali, Tunisia, and Namibia.
According to Broos, the lack of crowd involvement reflects a wider disconnect between the tournament and the local population.
“The local population was involved in the tournament — something I don’t feel here,” he said.
Beyond atmosphere, Broos also raised serious concerns about stadium access and security, recounting a troubling experience involving his family during South Africa’s match against Egypt.
“My family was at our match against Egypt, and it was chaos even before kick-off. Police stopped some people from entering the stadium despite having tickets,” he revealed.
People with tickets couldn’t get in, while crowds without tickets were allowed to enter. My wife said she was scared. The organisation is deplorable.”
Uche Dozie
Comments
This article has 0 comment(s) , give your comment