Shaun Bartlett: Discipline is important for Bafana Bafana players ahead of a massive tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco

Shaun Bartlett has highlighted discipline as a major characteristic professional footballers ought to have to carve out a successful football career.

Bartlett was weighing in the Hugo Broos and Mbekezeli Mbokazi saga which saw the Bafana Bafana coach tear into Mbokazi’s ethic after he arrived late in camp earlier this week.

Broos was scathing on Mbokazi that he questioned the former Orlando Pirates defender’s commitment to his game.

"I don't mess around – that's the first thing of playing football. If you're late for a training [session] or a meeting, that's part of discipline," said Bafana legend, Shaun Bartlett.

"And I've always said it to players, the way you play your football is the way you live your life, and if you're going to be careless off the field that's the way you're going to be in a team environment too.

“So when it comes to discipline and whatever coaches' rules are, you've got to respect that and I think you're an individual but you're part of a team, and you can't have ill-discipline before a massive tournament for South Africa, if we want to win it.

"It's not just about training and playing, even the mental aspect and nutrition – everything, even strength and conditioning, all goes hand-in-hand to get results, it's not just one thing that will get us winning this AFCON in Morocco."