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SOUTH AFRICAN PLAYERS ABROAD: 2019/20 PREVIEW

07 August 2019, by: Leonard Solms

SOUTH AFRICAN PLAYERS ABROAD: 2019/20 PREVIEW

The Absa Premiership was the most widely represented league at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, but it is not by any stretch of the imagination the only one showcasing South African talent. There are plenty of promising players in Europe who are either already Bafana Bafana internationals or eligible to play for them.

Ahead of the 2019/20 season, which could be a breakthrough campaign for many of our stars abroad, BET Central profiles 10 of the brightest.

Tau needs no introduction to anybody who has been watching Bafana Bafana in recent years. The 2017/18 Absa Premiership Player of the Season has been hugely influential in the national team, also impressing under difficult circumstances at club level.

Signed by Brighton & Hove Albion from Mamelodi Sundowns a year ago, Tau was forced by work permit issues to go on loan to second-tier Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. This might have demoralised some, but the forward from Witbank kept fighting and won the Proximus Player of the Season Award. He earned himself a bigger loan move.

Tau has joined Belgian giants Club Brugge, the 2018/19 top-flight runners-up. Tau has already scored on debut as ‘The Lion’ looks to make an even bigger impression in Europe.

Brentford midfielder Mokotjo has seen out the full 90 minutes in five of Bafana Bafana’s last six competitive matches. This is a sign of Stuart Baxter’s trust in the 28-year-old and the recently departed national team coach is not alone in believing in him.

Mokotjo has made 69 EFL Championship appearances for the Bees since joining from FC Twente. After two near misses, Brentford will be aiming to make the promotion playoffs in 2019/20. It is difficult to predict what is on the horizon given the busy transfer window they have had.

Head coach Thomas Frank can at least count on the sturdy Mokotjo — a player who he has described as “the glue in the team” — if he needs a stabilising presence. Brentford kicks off their league season against Middlesbrough on 10 August.

Mothiba was prolific in 2018/19 with 12 goals in all competitions at club level including one for Lille before his move to Strasbourg. Having been in and out of the starting lineup under Thierry Laurey, his job this season is to establish himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet.

At 23 years of age, Mothiba has time on his side. Like Tau, he could be in line to test himself against some of Europe’s top clubs.

Strasbourg are on course to progress to the third Europa League qualifying round at the time of writing, having seen off Maccabi Haifa 3-1 in the second round first leg. Playing at this level will be another milestone for Mothiba, who already has last season’s Coupe de la Ligue title to his name.

The cup was earned thanks to a final victory over a Guingamp side featuring midfielder Lebogang Phiri.

Arguably South Africa’s best player at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Zungu will hope for more game time at Amiens SC in 2019/20. Injury relegated him to a bit-part role last season as his club narrowly escaped relegation.

Amiens ultimately lived to fight another day in Ligue 1, meaning that 26-year-old Zungu will have another chance to show his quality at the highest level.

Despite being one of the most talented footballers South Africa has produced in recent years, Vitesse Arnhem’s Serero is far from a Bafana fan favourite. The former Ajax Amsterdam star has not always got along with his national team coaches and has snubbed chances to turn out for his country in the past.

However, he was hugely impressive for Vitesse in 2018/19, his seventh season in the Eredivisie. Serero played an instrumental role from defensive midfield although Leonid Slutsky’s side narrowly missed out on a Europa League spot, losing the qualification playoff final to Utrecht.

At least supporters got to see a glimpse of Serero at the Africa Cup of Nations as he played the full 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Morocco. For the time being, there is hope that the 29-year-old’s problems with Bafana Bafana are water under the bridge.

18-year-old Foster was on target for AS Monaco in their 1-0 friendly win over Valencia, giving South Africa hope that the former Orlando Pirates youngster could make his breakthrough in 2019/20.

Last season was a disaster for the 2016/17 French champions as they found themselves in a relegation scrap. As recently reinstated head coach Leonardo Jardim looks for solutions, the Amajita striker will at the very least be at the back of his mind.

With reports linking Radamel Falcao with an imminent move to Galatasaray, Foster’s chances of establishing himself as a starter up front could be about to grow tenfold.

The versatile 21-year-old Braga attacker is back at his parent club after a solid loan spell at CD Chaves was not enough to help them to Portuguese Primeira Liga survival. Competition is bound to be stiff at Braga, who finished fourth in the same league.

If Singh can earn regular playing time, then he too could show off his skills on the big stage in Europe. Braga qualified for the Europa League third qualifying round as a result of their impressive domestic campaign last season.

Having impressed at U18 and U23 level for Leicester, Leshabela has earned his place in the first-team squad. With Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers still a relative newcomer to the job after replacing Claude Puel, the 19-year-old midfielder will hope to catch his new boss’ eye.

Leshabela made just one appearance at this year’s U20 World Cup, playing 76 minutes as Amajita held Portugal to a 1-1 draw.

After a 2018/19 season ruined by a leg fracture, Montpellier’s Dolly will be hoping that luck is on his side this season. Once a driving force in Mamelodi Sundowns’ 2016 CAF Champions League victory, he would no doubt have been itching to get back on the park as he missed out on Bafana Bafana’s run to the 2019 Afcon quarter-finals.

At least Dolly’s club impressed last season, meaning that there could be big things on the horizon for the 26-year-old now that he is back. Montpellier finished sixth in Ligue 1, two places and seven points off a Europa League group stage spot.

Along with Crystal Palace youngster Nikola Tavares, Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter hoped to take versatile Empoli right-back Joel Untersee to Afcon 2019. However, they were unable to sort out passports in time.

Untersee went on loan at FC Zürich last season from late January. It remains to be seen whether or not the former Juventus man can now become a regular starter at his parent club.

It appears as if there is a good chance of him turning out for Bafana Bafana though. Baxter confirmed last year that he had convinced Untersee to choose South Africa over Switzerland for his international career.

A backup striker at Afcon 2019, Veldwijk has yet to make a huge impression at national team level. However, an exciting season in his club career lies ahead.

27-year-old Veldwijk played a crucial role in helping Sparta Rotterdam secure promotion to the Eredivisie with 24 league goals. They began their campaign with a mouthwatering clash against local rivals Feyenoord and the lanky target man was on target in the 2-2 draw..

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Leonard Solms is a sports journalist who features regularly on various local and international platforms including ESPN, New Frame, FARPost, Tagged Online and Careers Magazine, as well as this one. He enjoys the occasional bet and the most important tip he can give you is to bet within your means.

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