Young Brooks hoping to change Bafana’s fortunes

ETHAN Brooks was barely a year old when Bafana Bafana last qualified for the World Cup in Japan and South Korea back in 2002.

They, of course, played at the global extravaganza eight years later when South Africa hosted the tournament in 2010, but the national team were not required to navigate the strenuous qualification progress. It’s only been disappointment for Bafana fans ever since.

But now Brooks, 20, hopes to change all that after being included in coach Hugo Broos’ 23-man squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Ghana.

“I feel really honoured to be part of the squad that will be competing in the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Bafana haven’t qualified for the World Cup since 2002, and it would be really key for us to go into these two matches with a positive mindset,” Brooks said.

The TS Galaxy midfielder is certainly enjoying a meteoric rise since being spotted by former Galaxy coach Dan Malesela while still turning out for Panorama FC in the amateur ranks just a season ago.

The youngster’s talent has never been in question with Brooks impressing for Parktown Boys’ High in the annual Grey College soccer festival and also previously touring Italy with various school boy teams.

Since graduating to the seniors, Brooks has not only performed splendidly for the Rockets, but was also one of the stars of Bafana’s recent victorious Cosafa Cup campaign in Gqeberha.

The World Cup qualifiers will, though, be the first time Brooks works with Bafana’s new coach Broos after the Belgian missed the young midfielder’s national team debut against Uganda after he was required to return home for his second Covid19 vaccination. Equally, Broos was not at the helm during the Cosafa Cup with Morena Ramoreboli taking the reins after assistant coach Helman Mkhalele tested positive for Covid-19 during the group stage.

However, Brooks believes the squad should not take long to adapt to Broos’ methods or each other, with the majority of the squad having recently played together.

“Yes, some of us have played together, we were part of that Uganda squad. It’s not an entirely new squad. It’s a team that can come together and gel well together,” Brooks said.

“With the guys that have been together at the Cosafa (Cup), and the guys who have been together against Uganda, it’s not an entirely new squad. It’s not a lot of new faces and it should help going into these qualifiers.”

Bafana will face the Warriors next Friday at the National Sports Stadium in Zimbabwe before hosting the Black Stars at FNB Stadium three days later.