Lyle Foster: Bafana Coach Hugo Broos Wants Answers on Striker’s National Team Commitment

• Hugo Broos has said he will seek to clarify the Lyle Foster situation directly
• The Burnley attacker was left out of South Africa's squad for AFCON 2023
• The 23-year-old has been undergoing treatment for mental health issues

Bafana Bafana head coach, Hugo Broos, is determined to resolve the uncertainty surrounding Lyle Foster's availability for South Africa's upcoming international friendlies.

The Burnley striker withdrew from his country's AFCON 2023 squad ahead of the tournament, despite subsequently playing full matches for his club in the Premier League.

Broos has stated he aimed to engage Foster face-to-face to determine his commitment to representing South Africa in the friendly games against Andorra and Algeria next month.

Despite initial indications suggesting the striker would not attend AFCON due to mental health issues, his subsequent appearances for the English club have perplexed Broos.

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The 71-year-old had previously expressed disappointment at the lack of communication and inconsistent information from both the player and the club regarding his fitness.

Broos is intent on resolving the matter but also stressed Foster's return to the national team would require mutual agreement and a clear understanding of his commitment.

"I messaged the South African Football Association doctor to make contact with Burnley and see what’s happening. But it will not be, 'OK, Lyle, come now', like nothing happened. I will talk to him first and see how he sees the situation," said Broos, as quoted by Times Live.

Could Foster return to Bafana Bafana?

Broos also addressed the possibility of the striker returning to the Bafana squad, acknowledging the need to assess his physical and mental readiness thoroughly.

He also stressed the importance of open communication and mutual consent in determining Foster's future involvement in games for the national team.

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Meanwhile, Burnley manager, Vincent Kompany has emphasised the importance of considering players' mental well-being when assessing their readiness for international duty.

"You can be physically fit, but you can also mentally be in a position where it’s not a possibility for you to go away to a tournament for a month, if you’re not in the right headspace or you can’t deal with that," said the Clarets manager, as reported by iDiski Times.

Broos upset by Foster's AFCON rejection

Sports Brief also previously reported that Broos remains unhappy with Foster, who continued to play for Burnley despite turning his country down.

South Africa produced a memorable performance at the tournament. They reached the semi-final but narrowly lost to Nigeria in a post-match shootout.

Foster missed seven games between October and November 2023 due to a personal matter, but Broos believes communication has been lacking.