Furman: from prince to pauper
PUZZLING: COACH MASHABA IGNORES FORMER CAPTAIN
But the man himself admits he could play better.
Not long ago the captain and pivotal midfielder of Bafana Bafana, Dean Furman, has figuratively been reduced from a king to a cabbage. Furman was not selected by coach Shakes Mashaba among the 25 squad members for the critical African Nations Cup qualifiers against Cameroon, puzzling many – not least of whom is SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews.
“Dean was considered a godsend for Bafana when he first joined up with the the squad while still playing for Doncaster Rovers in England,” says Matthews. “Now that he has joined SuperSport in the PSL he is out of favour.
“Understandably Dean has taken some time in settling down to a new environment and the different styles of play,” he added, “and it might be reasonable that he was not included in the initial lineups for the vital, do-or-die games against Cameroon.
“However, I find it difficult to comprehend why he was not included among the squad of 25,” said Matthews, “particularly as his experience alone would have made his presence in the Bafana camp a valuable asset apart from anything else for the drawn games against The Indomitable Lions.”
Furman, in the meantime, has expressed deep disappointment at being left out of the playing and planning that went into Bafana’s attempt to secure the minimum of four points from the games against Cameroon, which would have left them with a chance of qualifying for next year’s Nations Cup finals in Gabon.
At the same time, the former Doncaster and Rangers midfielder conceded he has not displayed his best form at SuperSport.
“But I believe I am now settling down and matters are improving all the time,” he added. “I’ll just keep trying my best to regain a place in the Bafana team and hope my efforts bear some fruit.”
Recently-appointed SuperSport and former Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter believes Furman might have been “trying too hard” to perform at top level since joining the M-Net owned club – with the expectations in his performances at such a high level.
“But he is finding his feet to a greater degree all the time and I certainly view him as a valuable asset in the SuperSport make-up,” added Baxter.