Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has applauded the progress made by Kaizer Chiefs and explained why he believes the club's new mentor Nasreddine Nabi will end favouritism at Naturena.
For a team that struggled in the second half of last term, Chiefs have made a bright start to the new season with two wins from their opening three matches, with Nabi and an all-new technical team at the helm.
Since his arrival, the Tunisian-Belgian has made wholesale changes to the squad. New signings Rushwin Dortley and Inacio Miguel are now the preferred centre-back pairing, with Fiacre Ntwari preferred between the sticks.
Gaston Sirino has also been brought in and has offered a starring role in attacking midfield, while some of the players who were somewhat on the fringes at the side in recent times have experienced something of a rejuvenation.
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Ranga Chivaviro, for one, has already scored two goals from three fixtures, half the amount he contributed in all of 21 games in 2023/24.
This has not gone unnoticed by Broos, who has named Dortley in his final 23-man squad for the upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Congo.
"I'm happy also that Kaizer Chiefs are showing they will return to what they were a few years ago," Broos told journalists on Thursday when asked for his thoughts on Amakhosi.
"Kaizer Chiefs were very disappointing in the last two years. I think the coach who is there now [Nabi] is a good coach, and I know him.
"I think he can change it, and he's starting to change things already. When I see Chiefs play, there's a plan there, there's structure. He knows what he wants and he is also a guy a little bit like me, he tells things as they are.
"What I think now, what I feel, is there's no friendship politics anymore, no. You have to perform and then 'I will give you a place in the team', and that's how it has to be.
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"So, I'm very happy with what's happening now at Chiefs.
"Let's be honest, it's not normal for a club like the Chiefs to be eighth or ninth in the competition [league] for the last two or three years. That is not normal.
"It doesn't have to always be champions but second or third, maybe fourth… And I think they are on a good track now, so let's hope...," adds the Belgian.