Dikgacoi's comments come just months after Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos caused a stir by claiming it was time the nation faced “the real problem” of not having enough quality players and a league that is not competitive enough.
“We don’t have players like those of our last three opponents in Ghana, France and Morocco.
“If you look at Ghana, 90% of their [national team] players are based in Europe. When it comes to France I don’t even have to explain because their players play for big European teams.
“We can look at the fantastic race that Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates did on the continent, but Sundowns lost in the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League and Pirates lost in the final of the Confederation Cup.
“Two Moroccan teams in Wydad and RS Berkane won those competitions and in the Moroccan team there was no player from those teams in the national team except the goalkeeper. Let’s face it, the problem of South Africa is that the level of the PSL is not high enough,” he said.
SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan later said Broos had apologised for his comments.
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POLL | Do South Africa’s footballers really lack the hunger to play in Europe?
Image: Ahmed Awaad/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Kagisho Dikgacoi's claim that South African footballers are in a comfort zone and need to head overseas to challenge themselves has sparked fresh debate about the quality of local players.
The former Bafana Bafana midfielder has played for several clubs overseas and told TimesLIVE Premium the pipeline to Europe has dried up in recent years.
He put it down to drive.
“I don’t see the hunger from the current crop to play in those bigger leagues.
“It’s not only happening with players in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). It is the lower leagues as well. I feel like they enjoy being here and don’t want to challenge themselves and take their football to a higher level,” Dikgacoi said.
While some agreed, others said the problem was investment in local talent.A few claimed the reality is South African talent is not good enough for the world stage.
Dikgacoi's comments come just months after Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos caused a stir by claiming it was time the nation faced “the real problem” of not having enough quality players and a league that is not competitive enough.
“We don’t have players like those of our last three opponents in Ghana, France and Morocco.
“If you look at Ghana, 90% of their [national team] players are based in Europe. When it comes to France I don’t even have to explain because their players play for big European teams.
“We can look at the fantastic race that Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates did on the continent, but Sundowns lost in the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League and Pirates lost in the final of the Confederation Cup.
“Two Moroccan teams in Wydad and RS Berkane won those competitions and in the Moroccan team there was no player from those teams in the national team except the goalkeeper. Let’s face it, the problem of South Africa is that the level of the PSL is not high enough,” he said.
SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan later said Broos had apologised for his comments.
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