Banyana Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana emphasised that South Africa needs to do better in terms of promoting and professionalising women’s football before she can consider a return home.
The Racing Louisville striker was answering questions from members of the South African Football Journalists Association (SAFJA), during a press conference on her thoughts about the strides the country has made, in the women’s game, with reference to DStv Premiership sides’ interest being a possible persuasion for her to consider playing at home.
Kgatlana said that’s out of the question for now.
“For me it’s out of the question for now because yes women’s football is making strides in the country, but the strides are very slow compared to everywhere else in the world. I mean, people are throwing in millions of Euros and Dollars in women’s football and we haven’t,” she told SAJFA.
“Yes, TS Galaxy has a football club but the league in South Africa is not professional enough for me to say I want to come back home.
“We need it to be professional and it’s going to take many, many years for us to get there. We still see other countries even in Europe other clubs struggling to be professional or to stay professional.
“So until you know South African Women’s football is at a level where I feel like it’s time for me to go back home, I mean, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
