‘They said no, forget it,’ – Broos explains Foster’s ‘complicated’ Bafana absence

Bafana Bafana head coach has shed more light on the shock omission of Burnley striker Lyle Foster from Bafana Bafana's final 23-man squad for the upcoming Afcon.

After being named in the initial 50-man preliminary squad for Bafana's Afcon campaign, many were left surprised by the omission of Foster from the final 23-man squad that will compete in the continental show piece.

Particularly, after Foster had featured in Burnley's last three matches in the Premier League.

READ | 'It's not up to me' - Kompany on Foster's Bafana, AFCON quandary

Speaking on SABC Sport at the official squad announcement, Broos explained in detail the communication he had had with Burnley coach Vincent Kompany and club doctors regarding Fosters' availability.

"We had a lot of contact over the last weeks with Burnley and especially the coach, Kompany, and first of all they said 'no, forget it, he (Foster) will not be with you at AFCON'," Broos said on SABC Sport.

"Still, I selected him in the preliminary selection because I thought 'you never know'. I was surprised that two weeks ago he played one half and immediately phoned Kompany and said 'hey, what is, this I don't understand this'.

"He explained to me that 'ok, he (Foster) played 45 minutes but he wasn't ready [for AFCON]. There is still the danger that he could have the same problems he had two months ago. I said 'ok, I will not discuss it with you, I will talk to the doctors'.

"So our doctor had contact with the doctors at Burnley. I got the medical report that said it was 'impossible' and I repeat 'it was impossible for Foster to be at AFCON' and this is medical.

"Don't ask me why, but [according to the report] the risk and the danger is still there, that if it goes in a bad direction with Lyle he goes back to where he started two or three months ago.

"I was also surprised to see the last weekend that he played again. But again, this is a medical decision, it's not my decision."

Broos added that Foster himself had written to SAFA to request to be excluded from national team activity due to mental problems, and was 'agitated' to be included in the 50-man preliminary squad.

"Don't forget that three weeks ago, Foster himself wrote a letter to SAFA that he didn't want to assist the AFCON because of mental problems, that's the story of Lyle Foster. he added.

"I also don't understand the situation, it's confusing for me also, but this is a medical decision, it's not my decision. I spoke with Kompany for half an hour and he explained everything and I couldn't understand.

"The only thing is [that] he still needs 24-hour/seven days help and we can't give him that during Afcon and they told me even that because his letter was written before I selected the preliminary list, they told me that when he saw that he was on the list that he was agitated, that he was not happy to be there.

"Those are not my words, those are the words of Kompany, I have it in writing. Don't think I would tell you something that is not true.

ALSO READ | Broos announces final Bafana squad for AFCON

"It's surprising also for me, but Lyle Foster will not be with us at Afcon and I couldn't select him.

"You have to know that the situation of Foster is very complicated. For us and for me, I can just read what the medical report says and what the doctors say.

"What I understand is that it's impossible. It's really impossible."

The Bafana squad will report for camp on 4 January in Stellenbosch where they will begin preparations for the tournament set to be played in Ivory Coast in January.

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