On Monday before the Bafana Bafana press conference at Orlando Stadium, striker Lyle Foster showed that all the fame and fortune that comes with playing in the (English) Premier League has not gone to his head, which will make one of the country's finest assets.
Foster spent time helping Romy Titus put up the backdrop before the start of the press conference and, when he finally got his chance to address the media, the former Orlando Pirates striker spoke with the calmness which shows that he has his head firmly screwed on to his shoulders.
Foster's journey to the (English) Premier League has not been the easiest one. After an early move to Monaco in the French Ligue 1, it seemed as though he would have the perfect journey, but it had it's ups and downs. The 23-year-old, however, did not let any of the setbacks get to him and he kept on working hard until he secured a dream move to Burnley while they were still in the English Championship.
Now he is playing in arguably the biggest league in the world and has an opportunity to impress at a level where many South Africans dream of playing. The two goals he has already scored in England are an indication of him being able to compete with some of the best players in the world. Burnley may have lost the two games he found the back of the net in, but he certainly showed that he is capable of playing in a league as big as the Premier League and also gives us reason to believe that there is more to come from him in the coming months and years abroad.
Like Benni McCarthy, Lucas Radebe and Steven Pienaar in the past, Foster has a good chance of making a big impact in the Premier League and the support he has around him, especially his parents, will play a big role in the progress he makes.
Another thing he has going for him is the belief Burnley manager Vincent Kompany has in him. During the press conference on Monday, Foster explained how much Kompany believes in him and this gives him the confidence to play well. Kompany has loads of experience from his time in the Premier League and can definitely guide Foster on what it takes to make it on a stage as big as that one.
Foster is basically putting himself on the market for a bigger move in future and this will benefit Bafana Bafana in the long run.
The national team has not really had a striker they can rely on for quite a number of years. With age on his side, Foster can be a Bafana player for a long time and perhaps lead the team to greater heights. He is the star man now and I believe that he has shoulders strong enough to carry the responsibility.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye on Burnley matches every weekend to see how he progresses in his first campaign in the Premier League. These are exciting times for him and South Africa as a whole.
