South Africa head coach Hugo Broos made a strong statement ahead of the team's Group A match against the Czech Republic, telling his tactical critics to 'shut up' after the World Cup opener and insisting he will continue on his chosen path.
In their opening match against Mexico last week, South Africa lost 0-2 and failed to create any dangerous chances. Broos' side finished the match with only nine players after two were sent off in the second half, leaving a poor impression.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Broos said: 'I have been a coach for 40 years and I know that criticism is part of the job. But people need to know... I do it my way.'
The Belgian tactician stated he never listens to 'that rubbish on social media' and suggested critics, especially former players now working as pundits, should 'shut up'. He emphasized that he and the players already know what went wrong in the match against Mexico, and that is what matters most.
Broos acknowledged the situation for South Africa is clear: if they do not beat the Czech Republic, the final match against South Korea will be meaningless. He also dismissed criticism that he was too lenient with his players, explaining he does not want to blame them in front of cameras and that sometimes a coach has to tell a little white lie.
After the loss to Mexico, Broos said the team could be confident after that performance, which drew ridicule from some South African fans. However, he hinted at a possible tactical shift for the match against the Czech Republic: 'We know what went wrong and we will try to improve, but we can only improve if we have the ball.'
