Bafana’s foreigners

South African internationals who aren’t all that ‘local’

The selection of Dutch-born and raised striker Lars Veldwijk for Bafana Bafana has thrown into the spotlight the wisdom of selecting players with little or no connection to South African football for the national team. Veldwijk is the seventh such player over the past 25 years, and some have done better than others in a national team jersey …

DEAN FURMAN Caps: 38 (2012- ) Goals: 3

Position: Midfielder Born in Cape Town, Furman left for England at the age of five and found himself in the development ranks at English giants Chelsea and then Scottish side Glasgow Rangers, where he made a single first team appearance. His early promise was spotted while playing for lower league side Bradford City and won his first Bafana Bafana call-up under coach Joel Santana in August 2008 for a friendly against Australia, though he did not make it off the bench. It would be another four years before his debut as new coach Gordon Igesund immediately drafted him into his first squad for a friendly in Brazil and stuck with Furman throughout his tenure. He quickly became a popular member of the team and carried that on under Shakes Mashaba, who made him captain for the African Nations Cup in 2015 when South Africa exited in the first round. Latterly he has struggled to win a regular spot in midfield, where Andile Jali, Hlompho Kekana, May Mahlangu and more recently Tiyani Mabunda have provided some excellent options. He campaigns for SuperSport United in the PSL and is likely to be a part of the Bafana squad that competes for a place in at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Hit or miss: Hit.