Golden Arrows head coach Steve Komphela has all the confidence that he is breeding a Bafana Bafana player in Abafana Bes'thende striker Lungelo Nguse.
Having coached and captained Bafana Bafana, Komphela knows the texture of the fabric that makes up Bafana material.
The Arrows mentor, who joined the team in March, has been relying on Nguse and the likes of veteran forward Knoxman Mutizwa.
Nguse, alongside Nduduzo Sibiya, are the leading goalscorers at the club this season, and Komphela has suggested that the former could be a right fit for Hugo Broos’ Bafana.
“I am very careful about those because I said the same about Tshegofatso Mabasa and a whole lot of other players and it came up as misunderstood,” said Komphela.
“But looking at this Nguse kid, he is something else. He gave big boys trouble (against Sundowns). Mosa Lebusa must have felt him, and Mothobi Mvala must’ve said ‘who is this one’. Based on that, he has the ability. His positioning is top.
“From a physical point of view, he is strong. Technically, he finishes. Mentally, he is screwed up, he is a humble guy.
“All of these areas where you say ‘what do I want from a striker’, he’s got. We can only help him and elevate his confidence and he will be something else for South Africa.
In South Africa we say he is still young but at 25 he should be playing [in the national team]. But it is good to have that. If you have a Nguse, Mabasa and whoever, let them raise their hands,” Komphela added.
Bafana mentor, Broos, might have to reconfigure his squad when he assembles his team ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in June.
The Belgian tactician has leaned on Orlando Pirates duo Evidence Makgopa and Zakhele Lepasa, who, of late, have been playing second fiddle to the on-form Mabasa.
Iqraam Rayners has also raised his hand for a place in the national team, netting five goals in one game to amplify his intent as he is in the race for the Golden Boot.
Mabasa currently leads the pack with 15 goals, tailed by Rayners at 14 strikes.
For Nguse to set foot in the national team, he would have to match or better the goal return of these firing strikers in seasons to come.
Nguse has three games left this season to attempt to take his tally of goals to double figures at the very least.
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