Prominent South African agent Mike Makaab has weighed in on the debate and criticism by Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos around youngsters moving to Europe too quickly.
Broos, after calling Orlando Pirates youngster Relebohile Mofokeng to his squad for the first time, gave his opinion, amid reported European interest in the 19-year-old, that he believes it's too soon for the teenager to move to Europe.
Furthermore, he cautioned that he had give Cassius Mailula the same advice after overseas interest following a breakout season at Mamelodi Sundowns.
READ: Chiefs' pursuit of Appollis to come at triple the price
According to the Belgian, Mailula's career has stagnated at Toronto, due to lack of game time, because he moved to Europe too soon.
Makaab represents a host of youngsters as CEO of ProSport International, including SuperSport United teenager Shandre Campbell, who is a subject of transfer speculation to Europe after just one top-flight season in the DStv Premiership.
"You see, I understand what Hugo Broos is saying and I think this is an important discussion. You know, there is this misconception about players moving overseas. I have a different viewpoint as to how a player's career should be managed," Makaab opened up, in an exclusive interview with KickOff.
"You have to have an end goal in mind. What is that end goal? What is the ambition of the player? So, with Rele, let's say his ambition is to play at the highest possible level and if he had a choice, it would be in the Spanish league for Real Madrid or Barcelona. I encourage young players to dream that way.
"Now, how do we get you there? What are the right steps to get you there? The most important thing is, if you're going to Europe, and this is where I agree with Hugo Broos... If you go to Europe, it has to be at a football club where you're going to get game-time, it has to be at a football club that has a great history of developing young African players," Makaab explained.
"So, these are all things you have to take into account, when a player moves to Europe, not just there's an offer from a particular team in Belgium, for example, or a particular team in France or a particular team in Denmark. 'Ja, it's a European move, let's encourage it'. No! Is it the right move?
"Forget about the financial side of it, but is it a right move for the player's career path? Particularly when you're a young player. When you're 24, 25 years old, realistically, you're gonna make a move.
READ: Bucs to face Man Utd legend in pre-season tour
"But with a youngster, as long as it's the right move for his career path, as long as it makes financial sense to his football club and to the player himself, all these things are important factors, then I believe there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't encourage our best youngsters to go to Europe," Makaab added.