Adams, despite a commendable performance in the recent MTN8 final, which ended in defeat for his side, has drawn attention for all the wrong reasons.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos dropped a bombshell on Monday afternoon as he announced that Stellenbosch FC midfielder Jayden Adams has been excluded from the national squad due to issues of ill-discipline.
The announcement came during his press conference held in Gqeberha, where the team is currently in camp gearing up for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville, set for Friday.
Adams, despite a commendable performance in the recent MTN8 final, which ended in defeat for his side, has drawn attention for all the wrong reasons. His multi-faceted role in the match earned him praise on social media, but his absence from the national team camp has led to his removal.
Reason these boys lose respect to coaches is because they keep on calling them only to bench them ,I stand with Jayden Adams pic.twitter.com/AW0KwNc8zm
— SabeloStorm (@sabelostorm) October 7, 2024
Teammate Fawaaz Basadien reported for duty as expected, highlighting Adams’ failure to honour his commitment. Broos, while announcing Adams’ removal, stated, “Adams is replaced by (Sinoxolo) Kwayiba.
“Why?
“I will not give so much comment about that, but the behaviour of Jayden forced me to put him out of the team.”
The coach’s decision underscores the importance of professionalism and commitment within the national setup.
The team’s preparations have been further hindered by the news that Thalente Mbatha will also be absent after sustaining an injury during Saturday’s final. An MRI scan has been ordered to assess the extent of Mbatha’s injury.
➡️ Bafana confirm two withdrawals ❌
SAFA have confirmed that Hugo Broos will have to face Congo Brazzaville in their AFCON qualifiers without the services of Jayden Adams and Thalente Mbatha for contrasting reasons.
MORE: https://t.co/n4IkyyNg2O pic.twitter.com/scVXd0a5jc
— Soccer Laduma (@Soccer_Laduma) October 7, 2024
With Siphephelo Sithole already on the sidelines recovering from surgery, Broos has moved swiftly to call up Bathusi Aubaas from Mamelodi Sundowns as a replacement for Mbatha.
Reflecting on these challenges, Broos lamented, “The camp has not started well. We’ve had reports of injuries in the past 24 hours. It was not the start that I had hoped for.”
He expressed concern about the injury status of Patrick Maswanganyi, who is due to arrive later pending his own scan results. Broos remains firm in his expectations, highlighting the necessity for players to uphold a professional attitude when representing their country.
“A good professional attitude is something you will ask from a player,” he remarked. The coach reiterated that a player’s attitude affects the entire team dynamic, stating, “If a guy has that attitude, then for me it’s done.”
As the squad looks ahead to the clash against Congo, Broos has urged his players to focus on delivering their best.
“I want to see the real South Africa against Congo,” he declared, reflecting on his disappointment with recent performances against Uganda and South Sudan.
“I was not happy with the performance, but I was happy with the result … I want to win that game,” he added, signalling his determination for a turnabout in fortunes.
