Tokelo Rantie is bemused that the coach who took him to Bournemouth, where the Bafana Bafana striker became increasingly marginalised, did not play him because of his height not fitting in with the game plan.
As the striker returns to the Bafana squad to meet Nigeria - who Rantie tormented with a brace in a 2-2 draw here two-and-a-half years ago - in tomorrow's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Rantie broke his silence on his unhappy time in the English Championship.
Rantie played 64 games in three seasons at Bournemouth, and just three in his last in 2015-2016, having become their record signing from Malmo in Sweden. He said he battled to understand why Eddie Howe signed a short, fast player if the manager's game plan was a long-ball one.
"To be honest with you, there were a lot of things that I discussed with my previous manager in England," Rantie said at Lagos's Murtala Muhammed Airport.
"The coach came to watch me at Malmo. And when I went to England my height was a problem."
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