Lyle Foster of South Africa is challenged by Ousmane Diomande of Ivory Coast during a friendly international. Lyle Foster of South Africa is challenged by Ousmane Diomande of Ivory Coast during a friendly international. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky / BackpagePix
Bafana Bafana’s coach Hugo Broos has a tough decision to make regarding the readiness of Lyle Foster to play at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals early next year.
Foster had been receiving mental health care for close to two months after taking an indefinite break from football with club Burnley FC and Bafana. However, the Soweto-born striker returned to action for the Clarets in their 2-0 loss to Everton at the weekend, making a cameo in the second half.
Before that, though, his coach Vincent Kompany had made a bold Foster declaration after he was named in Bafana’s 50-man preliminary squad for Afcon 2024 in Ivory Coast.
“Unfortunately, at the moment he’s not in a position where he can go to the national team – he just can’t,” Kompany told the press.
Kompany had added that the 23-year-old striker was making progress but still had to be in familiar surroundings, insisting that was only at his club.
“It’s not something that he can do at the moment, going away for a long time and being in a very different environment,” Kompany had argued.
“His love for his country and desire to do well has no limits. But he’d be going against the advice of experts who’ve been assisting him recently.”
With that said, Hugo Broos must decide on whether to act within his rights and call up Foster.
Countrymen Broos and Kompany know each other well, with Broos handing Kompany his debut at Anderlecht at the age of 17.
Broos and Kompany have rekindled their relationship to help 23-year-old Foster acclimatise to the rigours of the English Premier League.
The Afcon could throw a spanner in the works of that relationship.
Should Broos decide to call up Foster and the striker pitches up, Bafana can’t leave anything to chance as a team.
Broos must ensure that the association – Safa – pulls out all the stops to ensure that Foster gets the best possible medical care and support during the tournament.
In truth, Bafana need Foster in Ivory Coast. They are already thin up front after the latest injury to Lebo Mothiba.
Mothiba’s Ligue 1 club RCS Strasbourg confirmed that he went under the knife on Monday evening after sustaining a fractured patella last Sunday.
With Mothiba ruled out for several months, Broos will need the presence of Foster, who had an impressive start in the Premier League before his absence.
Meanwhile, the 71-year-old Broos will announce his final squad early next year before his team starts camp in Stellenbosch from January 4 to 9.
Broos’ troops will then face Lesotho in a training match, behind closed doors, on January 10 before flying out to Korhogo, northern Ivory Coast, the next day.
@Mihlalibaleka