Hugo Broos not losing sleep over four-month international break

With qualification for the AFCON now confirmed, South Africa will switch their focus to progress in getting their FIFA World Cup ticket in a group that includes Nigeria, Lesotho, Benin, Zimbabwe and Rwanda.

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Broos is confident he won’t be starting from scratch four months down the line.

''That's the problem, but what can we do, we can't organise games or camps - I understand there are PSL games and there are Champions League games. So we can't suddenly organise a camp and ask the clubs to release the players. It is what it is, but I am more confident than two years ago, when I didn't see the players for months. I think everybody now knows his job and knows how we play,'' said Broos.

The Belgian-born mentor, who took charge of Bafana in May 2021, is adamant he will not make excuses when the World Cup campaign picks up again.

''It is a fantastic group, okay we won't see each other for four months but I don't think it will have an influence. You will never hear me say in March when results are not coming that we haven't seen each other for months,'' added Broos

Broos will return to his native country over the Christmas holidays but says he will not be far from the action.

''You know there's an app where we can see every game, I will go into my computer to see the games. And I have a fantastic assistant Helman, he will do the job for me,'' he expressed.

Following the success of qualifying for Morocco next year unbeaten, Bafana proved they are capable of – for the first time in World Cup history – being one of nine countries representing CAF at the global showpiece.