Baartman’s first Chiefs goal delights former club Cape Town Spurs

Cape Town Spurs chief executive Alex Efstathiou says Luke Baartman can progress to the highest level after the young forward scored his first goal for Kaizer Chiefs in their 2-0 Betway Premiership victory over Sekhukhune United.

Baartman completed the scoring at FNB Stadium on Wednesday, marking his first goal for South Africa’s most-supported club since joining Chiefs last season. The 2-0 win secured a positive result for Chiefs against Sekhukhune, while also providing a significant moment for a player developed by Cape Town Spurs.

Efstathiou, whose club brought Baartman through its youth system, said the forward’s breakthrough did not come as a surprise and believes there is considerably more to come from the player if he can maintain his current form.

“It is not unexpected,” said Efstathiou in a telephonic conversation with KickOff.

“There is more to come if he maintains his form. Often, with big teams, if a player experiences a dip in form, they are less frequently selected, especially when the player is still very young,” noted Efstathiou.

The Cape Town Spurs chief executive also warned that young players can struggle to fulfil their potential when they are not given sufficient opportunities at senior level. He said Spurs’ approach has been to continue supporting emerging talent and to show confidence in their ability, even while they are still developing.

Efstathiou believes that philosophy helped Baartman progress from the club’s junior ranks to the professional game. The player, nicknamed ‘Boere’, joined the Spurs academy at the age of nine after being identified through the club’s scouting system.

“Baartman is naturally goal-oriented.

“During his time in our juniors, he scored between 80 and 100 goals. Although I cannot recall the exact age group, he was consistently among the top goal-scorers each season.

“He joined our academy at nine through our scouting system. There was interest from international clubs some time ago. Once he gains more exposure through the national team, I believe he will transfer overseas to further his development.

“The sooner he makes such a move, the better for his growth,” Efstathiou concluded.

Baartman’s first Chiefs goal comes after he had already established a reputation as a prolific scorer during his time in Cape Town Spurs’ junior teams. Efstathiou said the forward’s record at youth level demonstrated his instinct in front of goal long before his move to Chiefs.

He added that greater exposure with the national team could increase Baartman’s chances of earning a move abroad. In Efstathiou’s view, such a transfer would allow the player to continue his development at a higher level, although he stressed that the timing of any move would be important.

For now, Baartman’s immediate focus remains on building his career at Kaizer Chiefs after opening his account for the club in the victory at FNB Stadium. His former club will hope the goal is the beginning of a sustained run of form for the player they first identified and nurtured as a nine-year-old.