Sredojevic: Orlando Pirates will nurture Lyle Foster into a complete striker

Orlando Pirates head coach Milutin Sredojevic has hailed Fyle Foster as a special talent.

The 17-year-old striker was promoted to the Pirates first team on Thursday after signing his first professional contract.

“Bringing Lyle to the senior team is in recognition of the potential and promise he has shown. He is a special talent and one that we need to nurture,” Sredojevic told the official Bucs website.

“Because of his age, he will be on a specialised support program that will aid in his development and also facilitate his integration into our system," the Serbian tactician continued.

Pirates sold Zimbabwean striker Tendai Ndoro to Saudi Arabian club Al Faisaly last month and they have since beefed their striking department by promoting Foster.

The South Africa under-20 international is expected to compete with the likes of Thamsanqa Gabuza, Thabiso Kutumela and Ayanda Nkosi in the Bucs striking department.

“We need to make sure that we exclude him from the pressure that comes with being in the senior setup," Sredojevic stressed.

"We can’t afford to lose him because he is still young so it’s important for us to create an environment where he can play his natural game," the former Uganda head coach added.

"It’s important for a young player like him to take this all in, enjoy his time and each moment, and express himself freely.

"We will help him to extract that quality that can make him a complete player," he concluded.

Pirates will take on Ajax Cape Town in a PSL match at the Orlando Stadium next week Tuesday.