Chiefs’ Monyane still hopeful over Bafana future

Kaizer Chiefs full back Thabiso Monyane is confident he can force himself into Hugo Broos’ plans ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and 2026 Fifa World Cup finals.

ALSO READ: Riveiro has ‘no regrets’ about leaving Pirates

The 25 year-old’s impressive start to the season with Amakhosi saw him called into Hugo Broos’ squad for the September World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.

Impressing for Bafana

Monyane impressed coming off the bench as Bafana held the Super Eagles to what proved a crucial goalless draw.

An injury then stalled Monyane’s progress for both Chiefs and Bafana, as he did not feature in the October qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda, where Bafana sealed their place at the World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year.

Monyane did return to the Chiefs first team at the end of October, coming on as a second half substitute in the 1-0 win at Durban City. He then started Chiefs’ next league game, playing 76 minutes of a 4-1 hammering of Orbit College.

The right back was not part of the Bafana squad that beat Zambia 3-1 in an international friendly last weekend. But he will hope to raise his hands in the couple of weeks, where stellar performances for Chiefs could yet see him selected in Broos’ final squad for the AFCON finals in Morocco.

“I know what I can bring to the team. I’ll keep working, keep pushing – because you never know,” Monyane told iDiski Times.

“There will always be competition, especially looking at our league, which is one of the biggest in Africa.’

Chiefs’ Monyane – ‘It is up to me’

“I look at myself and say I am competing with the best, and to be seen as one of the best right- backs in the country is a blessing. And I know the competition is tight, but as long as I know I can improve and believe in myself, I know that everything is possible.

ALSO READ: Bafana’s Broos faces pleasant selection headache ahead of AFCON

“The Bafana opportunity is there; it is up to me to grab it. I know who I am competing against, and I am working hard towards getting there. And that’s just how it is.”

Monyane’s next chance to shine for Chiefs should come on Sunday, as Amakhosi open their Caf Confederation Cup group stage campaign with a visit to Egyptian side Al Masry.