Soccer prodigy Claasen keen to regenerate his magical skills

Daylon Claasen admits that finding consistency in his game is the key to making the step up that his potential deserves as he settles into life at new club TSV 1860 Munich in Germany's Bundesliga 2.

Something of a prodigy as a junior international, and brilliant on his day, Bafana Bafana creative midfielder Claasen, 24, remains an enigma, and acknowledges he can drift out of games to a point of anonymity.

The skilful playmaker or wide midfielder wants to rediscover the form that earned him positive reviews for Lierse SK in Belgium before an injury-plagued period saw Claasen seek out a club in Poland - Lech Poznan - where he could regroup.

"I agree," he replies candidly to the suggestion that consistency is his weak point. "As a footballer you get your ups and downs. And one of my weaknesses, when I look back, is I drift in the game and out of the game. It can be a lack of focus, I think.

"I'm working on it constantly. As a player you never stop working on your faults.

"The best years in my career were at Lierse. I found myself as a player and knew what I was. After that, the injuries really took me back."

Claasen finds himself at a club that matches his nature as an enigma.

Known for the boisterous fans who have largely stuck with them - the club has 20000 members - since relegation from the Bundesliga in 2004, 1860 are the pre-sheik-owned Manchester City to Bayern Munich's Manchester United. Existing in the shadow of Bayern's German domination and European glory, "Die Sechzger" allow themselves a retort in snobbery at being - as the 1860 in the name suggests - far older then the Johann-come-latelies they are forced to share a ground with at Munich's Allianz Arena.

Claasen hopes his arrival, along with other signings under new Dutch coach Ricardo Moniz, can help the club overcome a period where financial meltdowns have hampered promotion efforts. TSV have shown some faith in the midfielder after a season at Lech, where Claasen received mixed reviews, though played a role in the club finishing second.

"The experience in Poland was beneficial - wherever you play you gain things. I think it did help me to rebuild. Polish football is very physical and there are good players, so I wouldn't just put it aside.

"As a player, you want to improve and move to bigger things. There is new infrastructure going on at 1860 Munich - they're buying players, and their aim is to go up.

"If you play for a team that's ambitious, you want to better yourself. Apparently this is the No1-rated second division in Europe, and probably the world, so it's a high standard and you're playing against guys who can play the game."

Moniz views Claasen as a provider of midfield creativity in a side that, under predecessors Friedhelm Funkel and Alexander Schmidt, was criticised for a long-ball approach.

"His football was formed at the top. And he comes from circumstances where he must survive," the coach said recently in reference to Claasen's training at Ajax Amsterdam and modest upbringing in Klerksdorp, then the Cape.

"If he has no ball, he is nothing. This is good for us. He's still a developing player."

Claasen, nephew of 1990s Orlando Pirates midfielder Brandon Silent, relishes a creative role for 1860.

"I suppose all teams look for creative players. I'm sure the coach knows what he's doing. We went on tour to Austria, beat Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1, and it looked good.

"Poland was about trying to get back slowly. I'm feeling good about being in Germany, my body feels good and I'm hoping everything goes well this season. I want to get back to that place I was in back in Belgium."