Kaizer Chiefs forward Ashley du Preez says Iqraam Rayners is the perfect example of how things can turn around, in reference to his career revival over the past two years.
Rayners, du Preez and Deano van Rooyen were part of an electrifying attack in the National First Division back in the 2018/19 season with the now Mamelodi Sundowns star netting 19 goals and winning the Golden Boot award.
He netted five goals, with six assists in his first season in the top-flight with Stellies, helping them retain their top-flight status but then signed a pre-contract to join SuperSport United on a free transfer, where his career stalled for the next three seasons.
Despite being a regular at Matsatsansa, he was often played out on the wing – and scored only two league goals in three seasons, but overall his contribution of five goals and 11 assists in 58 games made for better reading.
Stellenbosch lured him back to the Winelands and the rest, as they say, is history, as he’s emerged as one of the most prolific strikers on the continent and is now a regular in the South Africa national team.
“Iqraam Rayners, I have played with him, I know how he likes to score goals and the way he plays, how he’s banging in goals now,” Du Preez said when asked by iDiski Times about Rayners’ dramatic career turnaround.
“I think for me, it’s something any player because he has the experience, I look up to him and want to be how he’s scoring goals now
“Rayners is someone I have my eye on, how he’s scoring goals, myself as a player, I also want that – he’s a good example [for me].”
Du Preez has endured the same fate, playing in various positions and struggling to find consistency in his game since making a lucrative R10-million transfer to Chiefs in July 2022, with 18 goals and seven assists in in 69 games.
While his goal-tally for Amakhosi exceeds what he notched up for Stellenbosch in the top-flight, there’s belief that du Preez could offer much more for the Soweto giants, based on his talents.
“It’s about being calm and sometimes as a striker and you make up tour mind in front of the box and you do what your mind tell you to do,” he added.
“It either works or it doesn’t so for me [to improve my goal scoring], it’s about being more calm [inside the area].”
