Why SA stars should not be called failures after returning
by Chad Nagel · KickOffThe latest episode of the Carwash Podcast is out, with the panel delving into the topic of whether it may be time that South Africa stops measuring itself by the talent playing abroad.
For years, a PSL product switching to Europe, America, or the Middle East has been seen as evidence that local talent is spreading across the globe. The negative effect is that when those players return to South Africa, fans and even pundits frame this as a step backwards or even call them failures outright.
Why PSL returnees should be celebrated, not criticised
On episode 11 of The CarWash Podcast, special guest Roger Feutmba pushed back against the unfair framing, having left Belgium after five years to play for Mamelodi Sundowns in the mid-to-late 1990s. Talking to the panel - Delmain Faver, Linda ‘Figo’ Mntambo, Teko Modise, and Brighton Mhlongo – he argued that exporting a player overseas to gain more experience could also serve the national team they represent.
Mntambo, meanwhile, compared a difficult move abroad to a marriage gone wrong.
He argued that sometimes, coming home when a situation was not working out was more about common sense than a career setback.
Figo used Pitso Mosimane to strengthen his argument, pointing out how he departed Bafana Bafana in 2012 after the AFCON qualifier debacle, and many expected this to be the end of his journey as an elite coach.
Instead, the tactician built his resume around the world before eventually being asked to return to the helm of the South African national team.
When overseas experience fails to deliver
Mhlongo, meanwhile, agreed with the broader sentiment of people only caring when a person is succeeding, but turned the debate to how this actually plays out.
He used Lebo Mothiba as an example: the striker never debuted in the PSL, instead getting his start with Lille in France and eventually switching to Strasbourg. However, he spent large parts of his time there sidelined with knee and ACL-related injuries, before eventually joining Mamelodi Sundowns in 2025.
Mhlongo stated that, in his view, Mothiba’s struggles with reintegration into local football were far worse than those of someone with an existing domestic profile.
The conversation then steered to three main points: the financial gap between PSL and European salaries seems to have narrowed, continental football has a bigger appeal, and export players seem to be highly regarded for national selection.
While individual viewpoints differed, the panel agreed that a player returning to Mzansi after playing abroad should not be seen as something negative. The real metric should be whether or not that player can settle and contribute to a domestic team, and by extension, fans, coaches, and broader investors.