Cape Town Spurs coach Sean Connor wants to temper expectations after teenage talent Luke Baartman’s impressive display against Kaizer Chiefs.
The 17-year-old midfielder entered the game in the 69th minute as a substitute for Therlo Moosa. Baartman went on to showcase his prowess by scoring a crucial goal during added time, adding a touch of drama to the encounter, which finished as a 3-2 win to Chiefs.
Despite the excitement surrounding Baartman’s performance, and his first professional goal against Amakhosi, Connor is keen to keep the youngster grounded.
Luke Baartman, 17, makes it 3-2 with five minutes to go.
— Lorenz Köhler (@Lorenz_KO) November 8, 2023
His first goal in professional football.#DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/OH5lBGtTf5
Cautioning against overhyping the young talent, the coach emphasised the need for a balanced perspective on Baartman’s achievements.
“I spoke about him last week and I don’t really want to indulge too much about him,” said Connor.
“Like you have said, he is a 17-year-old and we need to keep his feet on the ground. But he is a good prospect and he sniffs some goals like he did against Chiefs.
“My job is to keep his feet on the ground, keep him focused and get him to the next level where I believe he can go.”
In a noteworthy statistic, Baartman, at the age of 17, etched his name in the PSL records by becoming the second youngest player to score in the league.
