Tokelo Rantie is bemused that the coach who took him to Bournemouth, where the Bafana Bafana striker became increasingly marginalised, did not play him because of his height not fitting in with the gameplan. As the striker makes a timely return to the Bafana squad to meet Nigeria — who he tormented with a brace in a 2-2 draw here two-and-a-half years ago — in Saturday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Rantie broke his silence on his unhappy time in England. Rantie played 64 games in three seasons at Bournemouth, and just three in 2015-16, having become their record signing from Malmo in Sweden. The player battled to understand why Eddie Howe signed a short player if the manager had a long-ball gameplan. "It was not a matter of me not getting chances, or me not having good training. Most of the time, I felt I deserved a chance. The coach’s style of play didn’t match my height. And that’s when I decided: ‘You know what, I don’t need to stay here any more’." Rantie subsequently s...
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