Former Bafana Bafana winger Stanton Fredericks feels there’s a glaring element from the current generation of Premier Soccer League stars that is lacking when it comes to attracting interest from abroad.
Fredericks was part of the golden generation that qualified South Africa for the Olympics for the first time more than two decades ago.
He went on to earn a move from Wits University to the Swiss Super League, while he plied his trade in Russia and Greece in between stints with Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
During that period, the national team was littered with overseas-based players in some of the world’s most competitive leagues but it’s not been the case in the current generation.
“What you see is what you know, and if you’re an agent or representative of a player, depending on the player’s quality, you need to identify, can he play at a smaller team, does he need that time to adapt, does he have the ability to go straight to Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns,” Fredericks said when asked about the role of an agent in marketing players for moves abroad.
“Those are the big teams in the country but you know, there’s something that’s a bit lacking and we had it. And I said we, myself, Benni McCarthy, and that generation, is that I played for the U20 national team and the U23 national team.
“That opportunity to play for your junior national team is where you get scouted internationally, now this is where the agent would come in and he could represent you on an international level.”
The former Bafana star went on to state that he’s noticed it becomes easier when they are exposed to major competitions internationally or CAF inter-club competitions, as more scouts are present and the geographical challenges and finances involved to scout in Southern Africa prove to be a huge factor.
“To go from playing for a smaller team in South Africa to Europe, it’s not an easy task, you know – so I really believe the international junior teams are the opportunities for players to do that,” he added.
“Or another opportunity is continental football, where the scouts can possibly see you because geographically it’s not easy to come to South Africa, something I learned, I was fortunate with the junior national team, and I was then given an opportunity to go overseas club which was Grasshoppers Zurich in Switzerland.
“Not that is because of the junior national team, so it’s difficult for players to go from South Africa straight to Europe, it’s not an easy task but it’s not impossible.”
In his sentiments, it comes as no surprise to see Banyana Banyana players earning moves across the globe, with the women’s national team current WAFCON champions heading to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
