Mokwena coached Lorch at both Mamelodi Sundowns and Wydad, and says he should look to the example of Themba Zwane for hope ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Broos ignored the talent of Zwane for his first two years in charge, preferring to select younger players, before the 36-year-old later became a key player in his side.
Broos has used Lorch’s age of 32 as an excuse, but that does not hold up when he at the same time selects Zwane, though the latter is currently out of the squad due to injury.
“In football, anything can change at any time, and for Lorch, he just needs to have a look at Themba Zwane as a source of inspiration because Themba Zwane was in the same position that he is,” Mokwena told the South African Football Journalists Association.
“I remember saying to ‘Mshishi’ (Zwane), ‘You’ve got to be so good that it is difficult to ignore you.’ That is exactly what ‘Mshishi’ did.
“Themba Zwane was so good that the coach at that time felt he did not want Themba Zwane for reasons that we had to respect, for sure, because he mentioned them.”
Mokwena says Broos admitted to his error over Zwane and hopes the coach will review his opinion of Lorch, who has netted five goals this season for Wydad.
“To the credit of Hugo Broos, he mentioned that in the earlier part of his reign as Bafana head coach, he felt that it was one of the things he had gotten wrong.
“For a coach to say this publicly, we have to give a lot of credit to Hugo Broos for that. This means if he could rescind his opinion about Themba Zwane, I think, for sure, if Lorch continues the way he is doing, he has a chance at Bafana.
“I hear very good things from Wydad’s president, who I speak to regularly, about his conduct, professionalism, performance, and his character in the change room.
“If he continues like this, there are a lot of possibilities for him to be re-inducted into the Bafana Bafana fold.”
Broos said this week that his squad for the AFCON was 75% selected, leaving the door open for some late additions, though it would be out of character for him to bring in a player like Lorch, who he has not worked with in recent times, at such a late stage.