Simba SC coach Steve Barker urges Bafana Bafana to give Rushine De Reuck another chance – ‘He still has the quality’

Steve Barker believes that Rushine De Reuck still has plenty to offer Bafana Bafana and should not be overlooked by the national team selectors simply because he is no longer playing in the South African Premier Soccer League.

The 30-year-old has become a cornerstone of the Simba defence, and will be leading the Tanzanian giants in their CAF Champions League campaign, which kicked off with a promising 1-0 away win for Simba over Mighty Wanderers in Malawi on Sunday.

“I believe he should be looked at for the national team."

"He still has the quality and enough years ahead of him to be an important player,” Barker told FARPost.

Although critics often point to the perceived lower standard of the Tanzanian league, Barker argues that De Reuck has stood head and shoulders above his peers in the region.

“What he has done for Simba, in terms of the stability and quality he brings both defensively and offensively, has been really good."

"He is very comfortable on the ball and can build from the back in difficult and tight situations."

"This is probably the longest period in which he has played matches consistently in his career,” Barker added.

Barker, who has mentored the player for eight months in Dar es Salaam, is adamant that the centre-back has rediscovered the peak form that once made him a regular under Hugo Broos.

“Rushine has been superb for Simba since I arrived."

"I always knew his qualities from his younger days, even at Maritzburg, where he really excelled before his move,” the coach noted.

“He was hampered by injuries and probably deserved a bit more playing time at Sundowns, but he is happy and playing really well.”

De Reuck’s last Bafana appearance was in an international friendly against Angola in November 2022.

Injuries and a dip in form eventually cost him his place in the national team.

Newly appointed Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has named his maiden Bafana preliminary squad ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers set for later this month.

However, injuries have forced “Jingles” to include new faces in defence.

Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Nkosinathi Sibisi, who were both part of the World Cup squad, are among those unavailable.

As South Africa prepares for a new era under Mosimane, the debate over whether to include foreign-based players from other African leagues remains a talking point.

Barker’s endorsement serves as a reminder that talent often thrives in new environments.