Scoring woes send Molefi Ntseki to UK

19 November 2019 - 12:40
By Mahlatse Mphahlele
Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has reputedly set his sights on Tom Barkhuizen of Preston North End.
Image: George Wood / Getty Images Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki has reputedly set his sights on Tom Barkhuizen of Preston North End.

Molefi Ntseki hopes to persuade England-based winger Tom Barkhuizen to play for Bafana Bafana and the SA coach is meeting the player and his parents to discuss the proposal.

The highly-rated, 26-year-old Barkhuizen - who was born in Blackpool and has set the English Championship alight with impressive performances in Preston North End this season - qualifies to play for Bafana through his grandfather's South African links.

"We have a concern with the strikers, so I will use this break to go to England to speak to Tom Barkhuizen, his club and his family.

The winger has contributed five goals and provided four assists from 14 matches in the English Championship. He has two goals in three matches in the EFL Cup, in which they were knocked out in the third round by Manchester City.

Bafana once again misfired in front of goals to narrowly beat Sudan 1-0 in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Orlando Stadium.

Ntseki is desperate to find a solution to the impotency before Bafana resume their schedule next year.

"We had a technical meeting in which we discussed the team and (player) profiling," he said.

"And part of the things that we discussed were that we need to have players who can come to the team and help the current players.

"In the attacking force we have Bradley Grobler who is scoring for SuperSport and we need to get somebody else.

"In the midfield, you look at Kamo (Mokotjo) and Dean (Furman). They are two of the choices in the team, so let's go and profile maybe two players who can come in.

"In the PSL we are looking for natural defensive midfielders and we are profiling all the clubs. We are struggling to find those natural defensive midfielders," he said.