Former Bafana Bafana coach Augusto Palacios backs South Africa to at least finish in the semi-finals in next year's Africa Cup of Nations.
Bafana will be taking part in the 2024 AFCON finals set to take place in Ivory Coast in January.
READ | Hugo Broos reveals reason for Sirino decision
Palacios believes the kind of team Belgian coach Hugo Broos has put together has enough quality and depth to finish in the final.
"With the players and the squad that we have, we need to be in the semi-final or the final, we must be," Palacios tells KickOff.
"With the players that we have we need to arrive there in the final.
"The selected players will need to understand we need to pass first the group stages, then go all the way to the final.
"It's not a mandate, but the players need to have ambition. It's the players who play inside the field, not the coach."
Palacios begs South Africans to support the team regardless of who makes the final squad.
"Who is playing it's up to the coach, Helman Mkhalele, and the technical team. It depends on the performance of the players.
"We have players like Percy Tau, and Lyle Foster who are regulars at their clubs. There is also Mihlali Mayambela.
"The more we have players who are playing competitively abroad the better the national team.
"After the coach has made his selection then it's up to the player to perform.
"If that player fails to perform, the coach should not be blamed.
"No one can predict who is going to the final, but if a player is confident and plays to his strength, then why not?
"Players need to believe in themselves because there will be a lot of international scouts in that tournament.
"Every coach wants to reach the final, I don't think there is any coach who wants to be kicked out of the competition in the group stages."
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!