Bradley Ralani will be a massive asset to Cape Town City‚ says Farouk Khan

Farouk Khan believes that a decade spent in Europe means that attacking midfielder Bradley ‘Surprise’ Ralani will be a massive asset to Cape Town City in the second half of the Premier Soccer League campaign.

Ralani is 30 years old‚ but is playing in his debut season in the PSL after 10 years spent in Sweden and Denmark.

He has already made his City bow‚ coming off the bench in the 1-0 win at Platinum Stars at the weekend.

He will now be pushing for a start when City travel to high-flying Free State Stars on Saturday.

Ralani is a product of Khan’s Stars of Africa Academy‚ where he was a teammate of the likes of May Mahlangu and Tokelo Rantie.

Injuries have‚ to a point‚ curtailed his career‚ and he has not enjoyed the same national team success as those two.

But in terms of talent‚ Khan feels he is on a par.

That‚ coupled with the tactical knowledge he has gained in Europe‚ makes him a potentially special signing for City. “The Swedish league is a very physical league‚” Khan tells TimesLIVE.

“It is a tactical‚ but not very technical league‚ and they play a very direct game.

“So that will compliment his technical ability.

"In South Africa‚ players struggle with tactical awareness and mental toughness‚ and he has that to go with superb technical ability.

“It is just a pity that he is not so young anymore‚ but the fact that he has gained such great experience‚ and played under such great coaches like former Barcelona and Manchester United player Henrik Larsson‚ means I believe he will be a great success.”

Ralani does not have the same notoriety as other players from Khan’s academy‚ but his former coach says that does not mean he was a very special player.

“He had great technical ability and vision‚ in the academy he was outstanding‚ he could single-handedly dismantle a defence.

"That is something he will bring to City.”

Ralani might have achieved more were it not for injuries and Khan reveals it was a frail frame that initially held him back.

“Just after he arrived at the academy‚ we put him in the gym one day and he could not get close to 10 push-ups‚ he was so distressed he thought he was having a heart attack.

“We realised then we had to develop him slowly and make sure he put on the necessary muscle. He has grown leaps and bounds since those days!

“City are truly fortunate to have him‚ and now we wait and see the impact he will have.”