Ex-Bafana Bafana centre-back Matthew Booth enjoyed a remarkably unique career at the highest level, playing abroad in Russia and for some of South Africa's biggest teams. Here, he exclusively tells us which player abroad he couldn't believe didn't play for a more established club.
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After learning his trade as a youngster in Cape Town at amateur club Fish Hoek, Booth's professional career began in 1996, two years after he joined Cape Town Spurs. The towering defender later penned a contract with Mamelodi Sundowns where his regular game time earned him his first call-up to the South African national team.
Speaking to Soccer Laduma in an exclusive interview, Booth explained his life-long love and adoration for London-based Premier League club West Ham United, who invited him for a trial in 2001. Already a Bafana international, Booth would instead end up at Wimbledon shortly after his time at the Hammers.
The former Rostov and Krylia Sovetov player goes on to praise former Southampton midfielder Matt Le Tissier, who spent all of his top-flight career at the Saints, much to Booth's bemusement, and remembers some of the biggest names he went up against in his younger days.
Which overseas club do you support and why?
Yeah, so the team that I support in Europe is West Ham (United). The reason being that a couple 100 years ago some of my family members lived and stayed in east London and then more importantly I went on trial there in 2001 and I had very good week there under Harry Redknapp and really enjoyed my time there.
I also was very impressed with their youth development, very similar to Southampton. West Ham and Southampton have had a long history of very good, healthy youth development which was very impressive.
Who are your favourite players from Europe past and present?
Of past, I always enjoyed watching Dennis Bergkamp while at Arsenal, and then also Matt Le Tissier when he was at Southampton. I could never understand how he never played for a more established or famous club! They were two very classy players, very elegant players.
Currently, Declan Rice of West Ham, Jarrod Bowen, you know, I like the hustle and bustle of (Michail) Antonio up front as well. And, of course, the new addition of (Lucas) Paqueta), I think they are class! Four West Ham players, showing no bias, ha ha!
Who is the toughest international player you went up against during your playing days?
It would have been from a game in 1997 at the U20 World Cup in Malaysia. In a group game, we played against France. Nicolas Anelka was on the bench and Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet started so I had a very tough battle against the two of them, and I didn't have a very good game either!
That wasn't a very nice experience. And then, also, Ronaldinho at the 2000 Olympics. On that occasion, our back four had a very good game against him, so those two games will definitely stay in my memory.
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