After South African youngster Shandre Campbell was included in Club Brugge squad to face Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League, KickOff got a reaction from his representative.
Campbell has been named in Brugge's 22-man squad that will host Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League last 16 first-leg encounter.
The 19-year-old joined the Belgian giants' reserve side Club NXT in July last year and before his first season has even completed, the former SuperSport United winger has already made it into the Champions League squad of the first team.
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Before the much awaited 19:45 (SA) time, KickOff spoke to Campbell's representative Mike Makaab, CEO of Prosport International.
"It's been a wonderful project. Mike Junior presented the opportunity, because Mike Junior runs our global division, when he presented the opportunity, it was not just him going to Europe, it was him going to a club that has a specific project in mind for Shandre," Makaab told this website.
"And that's what appealed to everybody, including SuperSport United and that project was to bring him through the ranks gradually, to allow him to settle in Europe, playing in the second division for Club NXT and hopefully make the necessary progress to incorporate him into the first team setup, which has happened.
"The mere fact that he played a few minutes, on the bench a few times and now he's travelling with Brugge squad that is going to play Aston Villa in the (UEFA) Champions League, is another step in the right direction," Makaab said.
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Makaab, however, is aware that Campbell has not made it yet in Europe and explained what it takes to stay at that level of the game.
"He's young man with great ambitions, he's excited about it but he's got his feet on the ground and he knows it's a long journey. This is a journey that takes persistence, consistent effort in performance and these things don't happen overnight," Makaab went on.
"And that's why I think the young man has a real chance to go all the way, because his focus is top class and his understanding of the project is top class and thats important.
"So ja, we're all super excited!" enthused, the former Orlando Pirates coach.