Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams says there is no segregation in the squad and no one feels inferior to others even though this Hugo Broos team has little experience of playing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The lack of experience is due to Bafana having failed to qualify for the AFCON in Cameroon last year, losing an opportunity to build from their showing in the 2019 edition.
Williams, Themba Zwane and Lebo Mothiba, who are all part of the squad that will face eSwatini at FNB Stadium on Friday (18:00) an international friendly match before travelling to Ivory Coast for another on Tuesday next week (21:00), were part of the 2019 edition in Egypt when Stuart Baxter’s men lost to Nigeria in the quarter-final.
Percy Tau, now Bafana vice-captain, was in that team too, but missed out from this camp due to family reasons and has since been replaced by Mduduzi Mdantsane of Kaizer Chiefs.
As much as there is a little experience of players who have played at the top international competitions with Banana before, Williams said this group “is probably the best” he’s been part of.
“The most important is the spirit amongst the team,” said Williams.
“Everyone feels part of the team, no one feels smaller than the next one and we are all in the different stages of our careers. But once we are together in camp, we are one big happy family and you can see it on the field.
“We go out there and we want to die for one another, that’s why we had positive results like the one we had against Morocco [in the AFCON qualifiers in June].
“When everything is against us, we keep fighting because we believe in each other. Like I said, the spirit amongst the group is amazing and it is probably the best that I have been part of and the coach always emphasises the importance of the spirit.”
Bafana are currently on a nine-match unbeaten run under Broos, who has somewhat silenced his critics after securing Bafana’s spot at next year’s AFCON, with Williams crediting the unity for the team’s success.
“Since the coach has taken over, it has been amazing,” added Williams, who has long bounced back from his tough Bafana debut in a 5-0 defeat to Neymar’s Brazil in 2014.
“There have been a lot of new faces, a lot of familiar faces as well. But once we are together we are one big happy family.”
