Shaun Bartlett has strongly rejected the idea of signing Brazilian midfielder Lucas Ribeiro Costa, stating that the team does not need him to bolster their ranks. Speaking with conviction, the 52-year-old coach expressed his belief that the focus should be on developing and trusting local talent. He emphasized that, while foreign players can bring value, the key to building a successful team lies in nurturing homegrown players and scouting the right talent within South Africa.
In his comments, Bartlett stressed that the team should look to improve its approach to identifying players who can truly represent the club, particularly by focusing on domestic talent. “I don’t think we need him to play for us. We must believe in our own,” Bartlett said, as quoted by the Sowetan. He made it clear that his priority is to build a squad based on players who understand the local culture and who are capable of representing the team with pride.
While acknowledging the value that foreign players can bring to a squad, Bartlett, drawing from his own experience as a foreign player in South Africa, added that the team must now shift focus to doing better in identifying and developing local talent. His stance is a clear signal of intent to prioritize a more sustainable, locally driven approach to team-building in the future.
