TRIAL AND ERPOR

A number of players have left the Premier Soccer League for dream moves to Europe, but failed to fire away from home and returned to the domestic game. Nick Said picks 10 from the past few decades

- Nick Said

KERMIT ERASMUS 

Erasmus had two bites of the cherry and could not make either work having initially joined Dutch side Feyenoord as a youngster. He went back overseas to Stade Rennes in France in 2016 but made only one league start in his two years there. He is now back at Orlando Pirates, having had stints with Cape Town City and Mamelodi Sundowns in the interim.

BONGANI KHUMALO

Defender Khumalo was signed by English Premier League Tottenham Hotspur amid much fanfare following the World Cup in 2010, but never once kicked a ball in anger for the side in five seasons on their books. He did appear on the bench three times in Premier League matches, but never got minutes on the pitch.

STANTON LEWIS

Striker Lewis was touted as the answer to Bafana Bafana's scoring woes in a post-Benni McCarthy era and followed in the latter's footsteps by joining Ajax Amsterdam in 2006 from their Cape Town satellite club. But after four years in the Netherlands he did not play a single game for the first team. His career was effectively over owing to injury aged 26, having returned to play for Kaizer Chiefs and Lamontville Golden Arrows.

MBULELO 'OJ' MABIZELA