In an ironic coincidence, South African soccer lost the services of two of its prominent players, both named Bradley, on Friday.
In the first instance, long-serving Bafana Bafana stalwart Bradley Carnell, who represented South Africa on 41 occasions, announced his retirement.
And following on the heels of the news that the 34-year-old defender was ending a career in professional soccer that had spanned 18 years, Platinum Stars announced that the PSL club’s top scorer, Bradley Grobler, had signed a three-year contract with Turkish club Goztepe and would be leaving South Africa immediately.
Carnell, who was recently placed on the transfer list by SuperSport United after a spell in German football that spanned almost a decade, said he would seek to take up a business career, but also hopefully keep in contact with the sport that had provided him with so much.
“You know when it is time to hang up your boots,” Carnell said.
“For me, I believe the time is ripe right now.”
Carnell represented South Africa at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, and achieved prominence in the German Bundesliga while playing for Vfb Stuttgart, Hansa Rostok and Karlsruher.
He started his career with Wits University and also played with distinction as a left-back for Kaizer Chiefs.
After returning to South Africa last season to play for SuperSport United, it became evident he had lost some of the relentless approach that had highlighted his earlier years in soccer.
The 23-year-old Grobler, the son of former Moroka Swallows’ prolific goal-scorer, Les Grobler, can truly be described as a chip off the old block.
He has been mooted as a potential Bafana striker of the future and was in the running to become the top PSL scorer last season.
“I have to thank Platinum Stars for not only helping me towards everything I have achieved in soccer thus far,” said Grobler, “but also assisting me towards fulfilling an ambition to try my luck in European soccer.”
He joins a club that were one of the most popular in Turkey, but fell on bad times in recent years and were relegated to the third division.
Last season, however, Goztepe started a revival by gaining promotion to the Turkish second division, and are making an effort to regain first division status this season. — Sapa