‘It will boost his confidence’ – Modise on Rayners’ Recent Achievement 

Iqraam Rayners has finally received the recognition he deserves, according to former Bafana Bafana star Teko Modise. 

Rayners was named the Hollywoodbets SAFJA Men’s Footballer of the Year, an honour voted for by the South African Football Journalists Association. 

This award is a welcome morale boost for the Mamelodi Sundowns striker, who was previously disappointed after being left off the PSL's official shortlist, despite a fantastic season where he scored 24 goals in 47 matches.

MODISE ON RAYNERS WINNING SAFJA AWARD

“Yeah, I'm sure it will man, I mean as a footballer you work so hard to win games and also it's important to win trophies and also it becomes also important to be recognised because at the end of the season, you do have players that are nominated to actually win individual awards,” Modise said.

“I strongly believe that he felt some type of way for not winning any award last season and for that to happen now, to actually be rewarded I'm sure it will boost his confidence because we also need such a player to be on good scoring form, especially towards the end of the year when you are going to AFCON.”

Modise believes Rayners has proven his critics wrong. Modise points out that Rayners faced heavy criticism for his move to Sundowns less than a year ago, but his recent form has vindicated the transfer.

“Normally players when they come to Sundowns they take forever to climatise and with Iqraam when he came there, Peter Shalulile was the top goalscorer at the time so for him to climatise to the new team, to Joburg and to be able to keep scoring goals, I mean it's such an exciting thing to see,” he added.

“But also he's a player that came to Joburg and things didn't work out when he was playing for SuperSport [United]. So, of course, people were saying he was killing his career but I'm glad that he's one of the most important members of the Mamelodi Sundowns team.”