Furman’s return to UK on hold due to Coronavirus
FOOTBALL Dean Furman is determined to secure a return back to England following a five-year stint in South Africa, despite negotiations being halted by the Coronavirus.
Born in Cape Town, Furman moved to England aged five. A product of the Chelsea academy, Furman has also played for Rangers, Bradford City, Oldham Athletic and Doncaster Rovers before moving to South Africa, where his contract with SuperSport United expires in June.
Now 31, he says he is planning to return to England for family reasons his wife is pregnant and both his and his wife’s parents live there - although he has yet to receive any firm offers.
Furman said: “This would have been the prime time to start talking to clubs in the UK but just as with here, football clubs in the UK are all on hold as well.
“They have uniformly come back with the same response, namely that they need to see how the current season’s headaches are resolved before they plan for next season.”
“So, it’s very hard to speak to clubs about next season when they don’t even know what’s happening this season. They don’t know when they are going to start up again. They don’t know if they are going to start up again. They don’t know financially how this is going to affect them. But I’m hopeful something will materialise in due course.”
Furman has made 50 appearances for the South African national team, and he hopes his planned return to England does not spell the end of his international career.
“I hope to still remain available,” he said. “That’s something I’ll have to look into when I find my new team. Obviously, that’s going to be a difficult situation but coach Molefi Nsteki knows what I offer to the team. So hopefully it’s not a case of out of sight, out of mind.”
Like most professional footballers around the world, Furman is doing his best to keep fit during the lockdown. He said: “I make sure I spend a few hours each day working out in a small garden area outside my apartment. I make sure I get off the sofa and away from the TV.”