Johannesburg — The South African footballing fraternity must have temporarily forgotten about load shedding after Lyle Foster lit up the social media streets on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Bafana Bafana striker joined English Championship outfit Burnley this week for a reported fee of €7million after leaving KVC Westerlo in Belgium.
𝐀 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: Here’s all you need to know about Lyle Foster's move from Belgium to Championship leaders - @BurnleyOfficial 📝
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) January 25, 2023
P.S He has a special message for Mzansi 🥺
This was a historic move for both Foster and Burnley and it went viral thanks to a brilliant, animated clip of his unveiling.
While that was a masterstroke from Burnley’s media team, Foster still has a long way to go before he can be regarded as one of the best in England.
And that’s why even amid the euphoria and hype that he is getting on social media, Foster should keep himself grounded and focused at all times.
SA fans have reacted in an overwhelming manner whenever one their own signs for a club abroad, flooding the clubs’ social media platforms with their delight early on.
But their engagements can turn ugly at times, with the very same fans launching insults at the club and the rest of the players when things go south.
However, with Foster having plied his trade in Europe early in his career, he must have developed a thick skin that will make him weather any storm.
Once upon a time... 🪞 pic.twitter.com/7V18jjZLg8
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 25, 2023
Foster’s move to England is not only about him, but also about the revival of SA football after it’s recent failures.
The Johannesburg-born striker is astonishingly the only recognisable exploit from SA who is playing in England’s top divisions after Percy Tau failed in the Premier League.
Like Foster, Tau impressed in Belgium. So much so that he returned to his parent club Brighton & Hove Albion two seasons ago where he struggled.
Ironically, one of the coaches who believed in Tau’s abilities is Foster’s current coach Vincent Kompany after the duo worked together at Club Brugge.
And that is why Foster will have to repay the faith shown in him by Kompany. Otherwise, coaches like Kompany will stop believing in South Africans.
Foster must help the Championship table-topping Clarets earn promotion to the Premier League as that experience will help a struggling Bafana.
🇿🇦📝 pic.twitter.com/R7qCqOhYP1
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 25, 2023
The South Africans are currently vying for a spot at the Africa Cup of Nations next year. But such is their inconsistent form, they are not home and dry.
But that could change if they beat Liberia in back-to-back qualifiers in March, after losing to Morocco and getting a walkover against Zimbabwe.
And while the 2026 World Cup in North America might seem a long way away, it's important for Bafana to start planning for the qualifiers now.
IOL Sport
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