Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt feels Bafana Bafana defender Thulani “Tyson” Hlatshwayo is good enough to play anywhere in Europe.
Hunt signed Hlatshwayo from Ajax Cape Town and recently gave the versatile defender the captain’s armband.
Twenty-five-year-old Hlatshwayo who started Bafana Bafana’s opening Africa Cup of Nations clash against Algeria last night, impressed in all of the national team’s matches prior to the tournament, and Hunt expects him to catch the eye of overseas scouts.
“I worked with Morgan Gould, who had not scored a single goal in about 150 matches for Jomo Cosmos. He ended up scoring 15 goals for us,” Hunt said.
“Now Thulani is our top scorer. Centre halves have to be good in both halves. World class centre backs are hard to find at the moment. Manchester United and many other clubs are looking for quality centre backs and Thulani is better than anything I have seen in Europe.
“I hope he does well.”
Hunt plans to tap into the club’s academy for talent during the transfer window this month because they cannot afford the players he is interested in.
He said he would love to sign Daine Klate, Elias Pelembe and Anthony Laffor – players the coach worked with at SuperSport United – but Wits would go bankrupt if he did.
So far, Wits have signed Fikru Lemessa and Hunt plans to promote a few players from the development and give them game time in the CAF Confederation Cup.
He’ll be boosted by the return to fitness of influential midfielder Papy Faty and speedy striker Calvin Kadi, who were both out nursing injuries in the first half of the season.
“You have heard about the Oupa Manyisa story. The money going around for players now is getting out of hand. We can’t compete in that market. I want Daine, I want Pelembe and I want Laffor, but we would have to sell our franchise.
“So we have to produce our own players and build our youth academy. I was at SuperSport for six years and we produced many players and we were able to compete. The only way to survive now is to produce your own players.”
He added: “I am taking Fikru. I have to take him because he is free. There’s nobody really that you can get in the market. If you go play on the continent he is a player you need. He is a soldier. The good thing is we also have Papy Faty coming back. That’s like signing a new player.”
Hunt said Wits were no longer interested in signing Ajax central defender Ayabulela Magqwaka, who is in limbo with the Urban Warriors. “Ajax sent him up to train with us . But he is fighting with his club, so we are not entertaining it anymore.
“We have enough in that position anyway.”
Hunt sings Thulani's praises
Hunt signed Hlatshwayo from Ajax Cape Town and recently gave the versatile defender the captain’s armband.
Twenty-five-year-old Hlatshwayo who started Bafana Bafana’s opening Africa Cup of Nations clash against Algeria last night, impressed in all of the national team’s matches prior to the tournament, and Hunt expects him to catch the eye of overseas scouts.
“I worked with Morgan Gould, who had not scored a single goal in about 150 matches for Jomo Cosmos. He ended up scoring 15 goals for us,” Hunt said.
“Now Thulani is our top scorer. Centre halves have to be good in both halves. World class centre backs are hard to find at the moment. Manchester United and many other clubs are looking for quality centre backs and Thulani is better than anything I have seen in Europe.
“I hope he does well.”
Hunt plans to tap into the club’s academy for talent during the transfer window this month because they cannot afford the players he is interested in.
He said he would love to sign Daine Klate, Elias Pelembe and Anthony Laffor – players the coach worked with at SuperSport United – but Wits would go bankrupt if he did.
So far, Wits have signed Fikru Lemessa and Hunt plans to promote a few players from the development and give them game time in the CAF Confederation Cup.
He’ll be boosted by the return to fitness of influential midfielder Papy Faty and speedy striker Calvin Kadi, who were both out nursing injuries in the first half of the season.
“You have heard about the Oupa Manyisa story. The money going around for players now is getting out of hand. We can’t compete in that market. I want Daine, I want Pelembe and I want Laffor, but we would have to sell our franchise.
“So we have to produce our own players and build our youth academy. I was at SuperSport for six years and we produced many players and we were able to compete. The only way to survive now is to produce your own players.”
He added: “I am taking Fikru. I have to take him because he is free. There’s nobody really that you can get in the market. If you go play on the continent he is a player you need. He is a soldier. The good thing is we also have Papy Faty coming back. That’s like signing a new player.”
Hunt said Wits were no longer interested in signing Ajax central defender Ayabulela Magqwaka, who is in limbo with the Urban Warriors. “Ajax sent him up to train with us . But he is fighting with his club, so we are not entertaining it anymore.
“We have enough in that position anyway.”
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