The former Bafana Bafana captain is still lacing up his boots in non-league football while building a post-playing career. Fans online are joking that he could even end up facing Manchester City, but what would a PSL return actually look like?
Dean Furman’s playing career has moved a long way from the big stage, yet the former Bafana Bafana skipper shows no sign of hanging up his boots.
At 38, the midfielder, who came through the youth ranks at Chelsea, is turning out in the lower reaches of English football. He recently featured for Warrington Rylands in an FA Cup qualifying tie, a far cry from the grounds he once played in as an international.
Furman earned 58 caps for South Africa between 2012 and 2019 and wore the captain’s armband at AFCON 2015. Away from the pitch, he now works as a Player Services Executive at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), helping support current players.
The Man City joke
Social media has had some fun with Furman’s situation. Some fans have joked that if Manchester City were hit with a massive points deduction over the reported findings in the financial charges case, they could slide down the pyramid and one day meet him on a non-league pitch. It’s tongue-in-cheek, of course, but it has put the veteran back in the conversation.
The big question: PSL or not?
Could Furman still cut it in the Betway Premiership? His experience, passing range and leadership would be valuable in a league that prizes composure in midfield. But at 38, the physical demands, the travel, and the pace of the top flight would be real hurdles. A PSL move would probably work best as a short-term, mentoring-style role rather than a full-time starter. Whether it would be a good thing depends on the club: a side needing a dressing-room leader might benefit, while a team chasing results might be better served by younger legs.
