Burnley and Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster has opened up on the role models he looked up to growing up.
Foster who left Orlando Pirates shortly after his debut as a teenager for Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco has embarked on a tumultuous journey towards the Premier League.
From the second-tier loan to Cercle Brugge, to a switch to Portugal with Vitoria Guimarães, to another loan with KVC Westerlo, where he led them to top-flight promotion before signing permanently.
But after only six months in the Belgian Pro League, he followed in the footsteps of national legend Benni McCarthy to the English top-flight with the Clarets, whom he considers one of his biggest inspirations.
“So overall, generally, the role model and focal point were Benni, you know what he’s achieved in the Champions League, finishing second in the Golden Boot race in the Premier League with Blackburn [Rovers],” Foster said about his role models.
“What he’s achieved, he’s always been the guy I looked up to, but just like in South African football. I used to come to Orlando Stadium all the time, that time it was Kermit [Erasmus] and [Thamsanqa] Gabuza, those were the two guys I fell in love with.
“As well as [Leonardo] Castro at Sundowns at the time, so Castro isn’t South African but referencing to South African guys, Benni was always that guy for any striker in South Africa and then Kermit and Gabuza as well.”
Foster has scored two league goals in his opening three games in the English top-flight with Vincent Kompany’s outfit.
