Furman sets sail for UK

Dean Furman’s career at SuperSport United officially came to an end yesterday, as the club confirmed they had parted ways with their skipper “with immediate effect.”

Furman’s contract with SuperSport was due end on 30 June in any case, and the 31-year-old Bafana Bafana midfielder was always expected to return to the UK, with his wife expecting their first child.

With no Premier Soccer League action since March, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and with it unclear as to when it will be able to resume, Superfollowing

Sport and Furman understandably decided to cut ties early.

Furman is already in London, and is expected to try and sign next for a club in the UK, though the English football season is also currently suspended.

“Dean will go down as one of our all-time great midfielders and captains,” said SuperSport CEO Stan Matthews in a club statement.

“He has led us to seven cup finals and delivered us four trophies and five consecutive top eight finishes. His personal win ratio for the club has been fantastic and is matched by his leadership and professionalism on and off the field.

“Dean is a super young man that we hold with deep affection and high regard and wish him and his wife Tash all the best as they build their new family life.”

Furman joined SuperSport in 2015, when Stuart Baxter was head coach, and won back-toback Nedbank Cups in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 campaigns. He also helped SuperSport win the MTN8 in 2017 and 2019.

The Cape Town-born former Chelsea Academy player also became a regular in the Bafana Bafana side, after being handed his debut by Gordon Igesund against Brazil in Sao Paulo in September 2012.

Igesund called him up after going to watch Furman when he was playing in the English lower leagues.

“I not only gave him his debut, I went over and scouted him. I felt he was the type of player we were lacking here in South Africa…the kind of player that runs at 100 miles and hour all the time and is fully committed. People were asking how can you go to England and pick up a player? But he turned out to be Bafana captain!” said Igesund yesterday.

Furman has played for Bafana at three Africa Cup of Nations finals, in 2013, 2015 and 2017, captaining them in Equatorial Guinea in 2015, and could well continue his international career, with Afcon 2021 and World Cup 2022 qualifiers to be played, when international football returns.