Why now for Bafana Bafana returnee Luther Singh as former coach backs 'lethal' winger

[p]It is perhaps ironic that he comes into the squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as his cousin [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/foster-lyle/Kh0tCZmg/"]Lyle Foster[/a], who has not kicked a ball competitively since the opening game of the World Cup against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a], misses out.[/p][p]He won the last of his 13 caps against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/zimbabwe/APEVkV8h/"]Zimbabwe[/a] in a world Cup qualifier in September 2021, having scored three times for the national side.[/p][p]Until recently, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/singh-luther/z37rCFPO/"]Singh[/a] had hardly shone at club level, though his recent form with Cypriot side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aek/ANpZncAM/"]AEK Limassol[/a] has been more promising.[/p][p]But still, he appeared to be a player the national team had long moved on from after he never quite lived up to his billing as a teenage prodigy.[/p][p]So it all begs the question: why now for a player who has developed something of a reputation as a journeyman in recent years?[/p][p][b]“He can play on the left and the right. He is powerful, mature and strong. We want players who score and can assist, and I think he is hungry. So we will give him a chance,” [/b]Mosimane said.[/p][image alt="Luther Singh's recent matches" id="a00b4bcf-d065-4371-8922-3dd59f92f08f" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="d48bf7e4-161d-4f0f-8d59-e291d3835dd6" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/appollis-oswin/6e9QI2W6/"]Oswin Appollis[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matthews-tashreeq/tlUN637L/"]Tashreeq Matthews[/a] and possibly [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mofokeng-relebohile/hx20yWyp/"]Relebohile Mofokeng[/a] considered left-wing options, it is likely Singh would vie for a place on the right with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maseko-thapelo/fPICDHL5/"]Thapelo Maseko[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dithejane-puso/j7xVIm1h/"]Puso Dithejane[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/campbell-shandre/bo9R7dT1/"]Shandre Campbell[/a] can also play on the left or the right.[/p][p]It does seem excessive to have seven wingers in the squad, but Mosimane may also be taking the opportunity to have a closer look at some of them in training.[/p][p]Singh's former coach at the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]Stars of Africa[/a] Academy Farouk Khan admist his career has not gone to plan, but has been impressed with the way he has got back on track in the last few seasons.[/p][p][b]“Luther is a talent who never really reached his full potential, and that had nothing to do with football. It was about opportunities and other things," [/b]Khan tells Flashscore. [b]“When he initially made the breakthrough, he was a sensation. When he signed for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-copenhagen/hSPZwbEh/"]Copenhagen[/a], they went all out for him. But he was on a downward slide after that.[/b][/p][p][b]“But I think he has now realised that age is not on his side and that he needed to do something. He is more focused on his game now and the coaches are really happy with his performances."[/b][/p][image alt="Luther Singh's last few seasons" id="e79fd656-6337-445d-b7c8-7b03643c85b8" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2dba8e0d-dea9-4212-a695-4fac61579758" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Khan reveals that Mosimane tried to sign the player in 2016 when he was still coaching Mamnelodi Sundowns, so is a long-time admirer.[/p][p][b]“When he broke through, Pitso was at Sundowns and he was keen on signing Luther for Sundowns. But we had already made a deal with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/braga/dpUer7ht/"]Sporting Braga[/a] in Portugal," [/b]Khan says. [/p][p][b]“Just based on what I have seen, it is the Luther of old — a winger who has phenomenal goalscoring ability. It is going to be interesting to see how he makes an impact. It is up to him now.[/b][/p][p][b]“Sometimes you get players who go through a bad patch. But it is not about how you fall down, it is about how you are able to rise from those challenges.[/b][/p][p][b]“I would love him to be playing in a bigger league, but maybe this is an opportunity for him to do that."[/b][/p][embed guid="7ed807d0-01fb-4718-b2fc-d9750fbe75ce" url="https://x.com/SAFA_net/status/2100531149915250747?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Khan feels that singh's best position is on the left wing.[/p][p][b]“When I played Luther, I always played him on the left, because he can cut inside and has a lethal left foot. He can play on the right, but then he is more of a provider. He is not as lethal on the right. But he is technically sound and adept on either side.”[/b][/p][p]He has one assist in three games in the Cypriot league this season, while in the last campaign he managed nine goals and six assists in 26 appearances. Those numbers are decent.[/p][p]That is perhaps a function of finally being settled in one place, after he had featured for eight different clubs in eight years before that and sat on the bench or in the stands at many of them.[/p][p]Now 29, he should be at his peak as a player, having also dealt with various off-field issues around his weight.[/p][p]But if there is a newfound maturity, he could be a real asset for the national side, because his ability has never been in doubt.[/p][p]South Africa play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/guinea/lGDZlkOb/"]Guinea[/a] in Johannesburg on September 26, before a clash against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/eritrea/ns8a5zLl/"]Eritrea[/a] in neutral Cairo four days later. They face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] at the same venue in a friendly on October 4. [/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]