Multichoice diski challenges’ new-age Bartlett: Yusuf Bunting

“There is this number 9 at Kaizer Chiefs, he is going to trouble us, always comes in on the left.” This is one of the statements the Moroka Swallows under 17 players said when it was discovered that they would face them in the group stages of the Engen knockout challenge 2013 edition while I was doing my practical at the then Germiston based development academy.

The player referenced was Yusuf Bunting, and how true they were though!! In my first time seeing the player, he tore the right back apart in the game against Swallows development with what seemed as not much of an effort, though not his best performance, I immediately took a liking to him.

Fast-forward to 2015 when the Multichoice diski challenge season began, to my pleasant surprise I see Bunting lining up for Kaizer Chiefs on the left hand and got the first goal of that game, I’ll be honest and tell you I expected him to be there the previous season.

He reminds me of a young Shaun Bartlett, you know before Benni came into the 18, quick, direct, good with the head and an eye (a very good one at that!) for goal. Considering his age His poisoning is one of the best in his group I feel.

Hopefully Kaizer Chiefs realise that they do not need to buy 6 average strikers when you have one that is potentially great in your development. I’m looking forward to tearing defenders apart in the Premier Soccer League soon.

in the meantime, you can follow him on twitter

Tweets by @Bunting9

South African football has undiscovered gems

Picture by Ihsaan Haffejee, thelyricaleye.com

A guy named Vusi comes on in the second half and produced a super sub performance, scored 2 goals in a game that ended in a draw of 4-4 between Brakpan High and Eureka High. That was one of best games I have watched in amateur football.

This same guy was sitting a few steps behind me watching the game in the first half with absolutely no sign that said he was a player for Brakpan high, decked in school clothes with no playing kit, he was the last person you expect to come on let alone let alone do what he ended up doing there because for one, He hardly came to practice! I know because I am the kid that he stripped off his playing kit just so he can come on.

His performance in that game gave me a high  that I doubt I would have gotten had I came on the field; this guy actually made me a fan on the bench. Truth is Vusi never got the recognition he deserved for what he did there.

This is what this blog is about, recognition to those players that give you that ecstasy type of feeling when they are out there but the Premier soccer league will probably never see them like Vusi, and the South African soccer players that are on the verge of the Premier Soccer league, whether they are in the NFD or ABC Motsepe league (Vodacom league).

What they can do is sometimes indescribable in words but I will express it to the best of my ability. This is not a scout talking but a fan who knows what he wants to see when he goes to watch a game in big leagues, this is a blog about amateur and upcoming players, some will get to play premier soccer league soccer and some will not.

South African soccer players at lower levels are too good not to be talked about, check out the video to really understand and share the passion for SA soccer!