Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams was full of praise for both Shandre Campbell and head coach Hugo Broos, as the youngster is set to join Bafana Bafana’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign.
Speaking after the World Cup draw on Friday, Williams maintained that despite the excitement building around the global showpiece, the team’s focus is firmly on the upcoming AFCON in Morocco, which begins in late December.
“The most important thing now is AFCON and the expectation we have on ourselves, the country has on us now. They obviously want us to come back, you know, with a medal. And the only way we can do that is having full focus on AFCON,” said Williams.
“You know, the World Cup is still a few months away and, you know, every moment deserves the spotlight. And at this present moment, the spotlight is AFCON. And we need to treat it and give it the respect it deserves. And we want to make history as well. So we’re excited. We’re happy.
We’re going into camp soon and I can’t wait to see all my soldiers.”
Bafana Bafana players will begin preparations for the tournament on Tuesday in Pretoria.
Joining the national team for the continental tournament are youngsters Shandre Campbell and Tylon Smith, who were shock inclusions in Broos’ squad, as neither player has represented the senior national team before.
Smith, who players for Queens Park Rangers in the EFL, was named Player of the Tournament at the U-20 AFCON in May and recently lost out on the CAF Young Player of the Year Award to Morocco’s Othmane Maamma.
Campbell, who played his youth career at SuperSport United, represents Club Brugge in Belgium’s top division.
Williams, who played at SuperSport United before joining Mamelodi Sundowns, gave a glowing account of Campbell.
“To see how far he’s come and to play against him, you know, in the PSL. It just speaks volumes, you know, of the type of person he is and how football, you know, unites people and connects people,” said Williams, who knows Campbell from his days at Matsatsantsa.
“Now to see him, you know, being part of the UEFA Champions League. And now going to
AFCON and maybe a World Cup. I mean, he’s ticked all the boxes. You know, he’s going to finish football before he’s even 25 years old. You know, and that’s amazing. He just needs to keep his feet on the ground. And keep doing what got him to this level,” he said.
The Bafana Bafana leader credited Broos for the development of young talent in the national team set up.
“We need to give kudos to coach Hugo. You know, coach Hugo, what he’s done for our country. It’s unheard of. The amount of talent that he’s given the opportunity to represent the country, given them opportunity to play. It’s amazing, you know,” Williams said.
“And now to give the two young boys that opportunity to be part of the team. It’s amazing. It speaks volumes of the type of coach he is. He’s thinking into the future. He’s thinking ahead. And obviously they deserve it as well. Because they’ve been amazing, you know, for the under-20s.”
Bafana Bafana will be looking to better their performance at the last edition, which saw them claim the bronze medal in Côte d’Ivoire.
The injection of young talent into the team not only helps boost the nation’s AFCON chances, but displays a dedication to the continuation of the nation’s footballing success.