Those who know him say Stellies’ five-goal wonder Rayners close to Bafana breakthrough

It will be hard for Hugo Broos to ignore Iqraam Rayners in the sort of form he is in now and the Stellenbosch FC striker is on the verge of an international breakthrough, some of those associated with his career path say.

Rayners was not part of Broos’s bronze-winning squad at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast but paid the coach back for a call-up for two friendlies in Algeria in March with a goal in the 3-3 draw against the hosts.

He could not have done more to continue to justify a place in the national team than stunningly smacking in five goals from all angles in high-flying Stellenbosch’s 5-0 thrashing of Polokwane City at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday, which kept the Cape side in second place in the DStv Premiership. The 28-year-old went to 13 goals, spring-boarding past Mamelodi Sundowns’ Lucas Ribeiro and Orlando Pirates’ Tshegofatso Mabasa on 11 at the top of the league chart.

With Strasbourg striker Lebo Mothiba injured, Burnley forward Lyle Foster’s future with Bafana up in the air and the Mamelodi Sundowns players who formed Bafana’s core at the Nations Cup tiring from a mountain of games, Broos would surely value such an in-form striker for June’s huge World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

It’s a long way to have come for the lad from Mitchells Plain who caught the eye of famous but declining Cape Town National First Division club Santos playing for amateur Cape Flats side Kenpark United as a teen.

Rayners could not help the former PSL side, relegated from the top flight in 2012, avoid another drop to the ABC Motsepe League (third tier) in 2017. Stellenbosch snapped up one of Cape Town’s most eye-catching talents and his goals led them to promotion to the Premiership as NFD champions in 2018-19. SuperSport United come knocking in July 2020, but Rayners never quite settled in Pretoria, though his abrupt departure back to Stellies in January 2023 came as a surprise, then new United coach Gavin Hunt simply saying a month later, “Why keep an unhappy player?”

The return to the Cape has brought happy seasons, Rayners scoring 15 goals in 28 league and cup games in 2022-23 and continuing that form this campaign.

“His background is not easy — he comes from a good background from a family perspective but a very poor background,” Santos chair Goollam Allie told TimesLIVE Premium.

“He’s from a tough neighbourhood in Mitchells Plain. He’s grown to be a thorough gentleman, a wonderful person. And from a football perspective he always was [a neat player]. He could play anywhere; right-back, midfield, could use both feet and he’s a strong boy. And the same way he looks physique-wise he’s strong mentally.”

Allie said Rayners was spotted by Santos’ scouting system at “about 14”.

“He was also still very young when he was called up to the senior team, and that is why he was still trying to find his true position.

“His going to SuperSport and Stellenbosch were probably the best thing that could have happened to him because of the kinds of facilities they had there.”

It is a stereotype that Cape players can battle to settle in Gauteng. Allie feels that is a past trend and it was always more complicated than that simplified version.

“That’s a fallacy to me because Wayne Arendse did well, Eleazar Rodgers did well — a lot of players from the Cape do [in Gauteng].

“The problem can be the type of player looked for and the type of play sought in years gone by the clubs [on the highveld] — they wanted players to play very individualistic.

“But Cape Town players have always been different. I used to say in my time playing that the [coloured and Indian Federation Professional League sides of segregated football like] Cape Town Spurs, Manning Rangers, and generally the Cape Town players were a mixture of Brazilian and European football. They had the skills of Brazilians but also the direct football of Europeans.

“They might not have as many dribbling skills like Brazilians but have the mix ... along with the physical side. And Iqraam has developed into that kind of player who you can find anywhere in the box, he can create his own space, he’s strong, and he’s got the energy. He’s really got everything at the moment — hopefully he can just go one notch higher and become a regular in the national team.”

The coach who signed Rayners at SuperSport, Kaitano Tembo, agrees the striker could have made it in Gauteng, especially at Matsatsantsa, a club known for organisation and direct football.

He had those players like Bradley Grobler who he learnt a lot from in terms of finishing. Also he works very hard. When you play against him as a defender you don’t have time to rest; he’s always thinking ahead.

—  Kaitano Tembo

“To be honest I don’t think he struggled — it was his first season at the club, he scored a few goals and we had long-term plans for him. The second season was where he would come out of his shell because he had the qualities we were looking for: the speed, technically very good, can play off the shoulders.

“I used to watch him when he was the top scorer at Stellenbosch when they won the NFD — he’s the one who got them promoted. That’s where I felt we needed to bring him in.

“He did well — he had the environment where we had a young team and [emerging talent like] Ronwen Wiliams and Teboho Mokoena. He was happy there. I don’t know what happened when I left [in April 2022]. Unfortunately then he had to leave.

“And then you could see, when he went back to Stellenbosch is was quite easy for him — he started scoring goals almost from day one, because he was also in good shape.”

Tembo also agreed Rayners developed at SuperSport.

“The main thing other strikers might not have that he does is composure. He’s composed in and around the box. If you look at the fifth goal against Polokwane he took his time, never rushed, had three or four touches in the box then just played it [past the keeper].

“He had those players like Bradley Grobler, who he learnt a lot from in terms of finishing. Also he works very hard. When you play against him as a defender you don’t have time to rest; he’s always thinking ahead.”

Tembo feels Rayners can have a good two or three years adding value for Bafana if he can continue the step up to international level. “He’s scoring regularly, and he’s been doing it from last season. He’s being carrying Stellenbosch for quite some time. I think with his performances at the moment no-one can ignore him.”