Lyle Foster truly looks at home now in the world-famous English Premier League. Why didn’t he cut the mustard at Orlando Pirates as a teen?
Now 25, Foster is a regular for Premier League battlers Burnley.
It’s been a long and winding journey for the Soweto-born striker who knows a thing or two about hard work.
Monnapule WHO? Orlando Pirates fans forget about Saleng
Lyle Foster is flying in the Premier League
Pirates cashed in on Lyle Foster when he was still a raw, talented teenager, selling him to Ligue 1’s Monaco for €1.2m (R24m) in 2019. They probably didn’t expect his price tag to inflate as much as it did. Foster is now the most expensive South African player in history after an €11m (R220m) move from Belgian side Westerlo to Burnley in 2023. It’s easy to imagine that he could fetch an even bigger fee if the Clarets sell him in a couple of years.
Was he ‘too good’ fr his peers at Orlando Pirates?
Lyle Foster’s game is built on industry and relentless pressing. His link play is good, but he really thrives in a team that doesn’t necessarily enjoy long periods in possession of the ball. Perhaps this explains why he wasn’t a natural fit for Orlando Pirates. It also goes a long way to explaining why he’s found his niche at Burnley; a team priding themselves on hard work, something they’ll desperately need to keep up to survive in the cutthroat arena of the English Premier League. Maybe Foster was never destined to play for a side fighting for trophies but rather in sides fighting against the drop in the world’s most demanding competitions. He’s got two goals and an assist so far in eight league appearances this term.
Orlando Pirates need to live up to their ‘cup specialists’ tag
The Sea Robbers square up with Magesi in the Telkom Knockout quarter-finals on Tuesday, 28 October. Kickoff is at 19:30. Then there’s a titanic tussle with champions Sundowns in the Betway Premiership on Saturday, 1 November at 15:30. Both matches will be aired on DStv Channel 202. Meanwhile, Foster’s Burnley side face the ultimate challenge at the weekend when they host league leaders Arsenal. That match kicks off on Saturday, 1 November at 17:00.