Five young stars who can make it big in SA football in 2017

Each year new young stars emerge in South African football. TMG Digital has speculated on five young players who have the potential to make the step up to the big time in 2017:

Grant Margeman‚ Ajax Cape Town defensive midfielder‚ 18:

Small in size for his position‚ but capable of getting involved in the physical exchanges and with a dynamic work-rate‚ Margeman’s talent surrounded by plenty of other bright youngsters at Ajax was described as “scary” by coach Stanley Menzo a few weeks ago.

The 18-year-old defensive midfield prodigy‚ only promoted to the first team in June having been part of Ajax’s under-19 team that won the NextGen tournament in Amsterdam in May‚ has earned seven league appearances in 2016-17‚ two of them starting.

Margeman was man-of-the-match when Ajax beat Chippa United 1-0 in December.

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Mbuyiselo Thethani‚ Free State Stars‚ winger‚ 20:

Thethani has been earning regular game-time with struggling Stars. He announced his arrival with a spectacular debut against SuperSport United in February 2015‚ scoring from thunderous drive in the 79th minute then teeing up a late equaliser in a spectacular comeback to 2-2 for Stars.

The Stars youth product has a tendency for showboating‚ but his skill pace and an eye for spectacular goals make him one to watch.

Promoted to the first team in January 2015‚ Thethani has played eight times for Stars this season‚ making five starts.

He has scored once‚ and again it was a beauty – controlling‚ turning and unleashing a dipping 25-metre half-volley in a 3-1 win against Platinum Stars in November.

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Luther Singh‚ GAIS‚ Sweden‚ winger‚ 19:

Singh scored his first professional hat-trick for second-tier GAIS in May. The winger played 28 matches‚ with 20 starts‚ scoring nine goals in an impressive 2016 in Sweden.

He may not have made the nod to the top-flight in that country yet‚ but the South Africa Under-20 star has been highly rated and attracted the attention of clubs in Portugal and Spain‚ including even Real Madrid‚ if reports are to be believed.

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Jody February‚ Ajax Cape Town‚ goalkeeper‚ 20:

With 11 league and cup appearances so far in 2016-17‚ February has a chance to nail down the first-team goalkeeper’s position at Ajax this season.

February is the most well-known of the players on our list. He came to light in a big way with his heroic performance at the Caf Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal in November 2014‚ with three saves in the penalty shootout third-place playoff win against the hosts having also made a penalty save in the second half.

The victory guaranteed SA progression to the Rio Olympics‚ where in August February controversially had to remain on the bench due to the inclusion of Itumeleng Khune as one of the three overage players. Khune went on to justify his selection with a flawless tournament.

February’s days of playing second fiddle at his club‚ though‚ could be over. The departure of Fin Anssi Jaakkola to Reading in England’s Championship has opened the way for the talented keeper to nail down a starting place under Menzo‚ himself a goalkeeping legend at Ajax Amsterdam in the 1980s. This could be February’s year to prove himself.

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Liam Jordan‚ Sporting Lisbon‚ striker‚ 18:

Liam Jordan‚ son of the late Manning Rangers striker Keryn Jordan‚ became one of the youngest players to debut in SA football at 16 for Bidvest Wits in their 3-0 Nedbank Cup win against Pretoria University at Bidvest Stadium in March 2015.

He was described at the time by Gavin Hunt as being in the class of other teenagers the Wits coach has introduced in his career‚ such as Benni McCarthy and Glen Salmon.

Since then Jordan’s progress appears to have stalled somewhat. He was sent in August 2016 on a one-year loan to play for Sporting’s reserves‚ and it is hoped that that experience can reignite the youngster’s path to potential stardom.

TMG Digital/TMG Sport