That has to stop

This week we hear from Dean Furman – Former SSU midfielder

On Benni joining Man United

Listen, I’m so elated for Benni. Not that I’m a Manchester United fan, but I live in Manchester and to think that Benni is in the area is extremely exciting. I mean, we’re talking about world renowned Man United, one of the biggest clubs in the world. They’ve fallen away a little bit in recent years, but no doubt they’ll be right back up there very soon and to have Benni join in at a time they’re trying to rebuild themselves is exciting. To go from such an incredible career as a player to achieving the highest possible opportunities within the game in his managerial career is something we should all marvel at. I was lucky enough… not as much as I would’ve loved, but I was lucky enough to share a dressing room with Benni once or twice and come up against his teams a couple of times and I was always blown away by his unapologetic passion to succeed. His commitment is second to none. To have someone like him, who’s such an influential figure in South African football, at one of the biggest clubs in the world is amazing for South African football and our sport at large. It’s monumental for anyone aspiring to do big things in the game, the retired generation and those coming to the end of their careers and the future generation too. I dropped him a message over the weekend just to congratulate him and we’ve agreed that once the dust has settled, we’ll meet for a drink. Looking forward to seeing that big smile of his in Manchester. So many people here ask me what South African football is like and the first thing I say to them is, talent wise, it’s absolutely insane. And if you have the drive to succeed like Benni has, that goes to show what wonders can be achieved. I’ll definitely be attending some Man United games now, thanks to Benni!

On Banyana’s Wafcon success

What Banyana did is absolutely incredible. Incredibly special. I was following from afar and I saw the scenes at the airport when they arrived back home – absolutely breathtaking. England is just going through the same euphoria as we speak right now, with the English ladies winning the European Cup at Wembley on Sunday night. Banyana has been lying on the top table of African football for a little while now and it’s no surprise to see they’ve gone on to take the title. It just shows what years and years of planning and hard work have culminated in. As I mentioned, they’ve been impressive for years and they deserve this. Women’s football has never been stronger than now and it’s amazing to see, not only here in Europe, but in Africa too, just how packed the stadiums were for the finals. The attendance in Morocco was incredible just as it was at Wembley. So, to see women’s football in the spotlight and getting the recognition it deserves is amazing, and with that, the equal pay discussions will obviously be brought forward. They are more than worthy, not just now… they’ve been worthy of such for a long time and I’m elated to see the powers that be having that conversation.

On Ronwen to Downs

I’m absolutely delighted for Ronza. There’s a part of me though that wishes it wasn’t Sundowns because they are SuperSport United’s biggest rivals and they are now going to get more and more stronger, ha, ha, ha. But listen, I’m very happy for him. A move was always on the cards and he should be very proud of what he’s achieved at SuperSport. We lifted trophies together and believe me when I tell you Ronza was monumental in every success we had. Coming through the ranks at such a young age, he’s an absolute poster boy of that club and has definitely shown the academy boys that they too can have incredible careers at SuperSport. This is a great move where he will really get to showcase his talent in Africa. Competing in the Champions League is something he’s always wanted, and where else but Sundowns to do that. They keep getting better and better with each season and with Ronza in their circle, they’ll certainly be even harder to beat. His level of consistency and longevity is incredible and his influence not just at club level but at the national team as well is unquestionable. I couldn’t be happier for him. The level of competition at

Sundowns is what makes them such a great team, and to see almost all the SuperSport boys in (the) yellow of Sundowns… it’s great to see them doing well and I’m so incredibly proud because I know how much work they put in. Just seeing them winning the league has been fantastic.

On Bafana’s current state

I’ve been tracking their progress very closely. They had some high-profile games, which was great to see. You want to be playing against some of the best nations in the world if you want to be taken seriously, so the France game was a welcome fixture. The World Cup qualifiers’ campaign, with a relatively young and inexperienced group of players, was an incredible one I believe. No one expected those boys to push Ghana as hard as they did. Not the ideal start to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, they were close to getting a good result in Morocco but unfortunately were let down by one or two wrong decisions. Unfortunately, with Bafana, very close is the word we’ve come to use all too often now and that has to stop. There’s too much talent in South Africa not to be playing on major stages, so we need to start seeing results now. This team has to start qualifying for major tournaments now, starting with the Afcon. That’s first and foremost. They’ve had some time together now. I want to believe the coach knows them well now and they know him too. We should make it to the next Afcon…

On what he’s up to

I’m still playing but at a bit of a lower level. I’m currently at that transitional phase that catches up with all of us at some point. You come to the end of your career, you don’t quite have the legs that you once had and there’s always someone a bit younger, fitter and stronger, and I found that to be pretty much the case here in England, so I’m certainly transitioning into my future away from the pitch. Football is what most of us have always only known, but it doesn’t last forever unfortunately and I’m currently doing my coaching badges. I’ve also moved into financial services with a company where I look after people’s financial wellbeing. That’s something that always interested me as a player because I always knew we can’t run forever and it’s important as athletes that we are ready for the next chapters of our lives. It’s important that we give our finances the same dedication and application as we did with our football careers.