Furman: 'Every day is a chance to get better'

Bafana Bafana and SuperSport United have come to depend on Dean Furman’s commitment to the cause, writes WADE PRETORIUS in SoccerClub magazine.

What you see is what you get from Dean Furman. Tenacious, committed to the cause and always willing to put his body on the line, the determined midfielder remains an integral part of the plans for club and country.

For the most part, the 28-year-old, much like his club SuperSport United, operates under the radar, doing the so-called dirty work to regain possession and turn defence into offence. Ever the team player, the former Oldham Athletic captain’s consistency is down to his desire to continue learning from the steady cycle of ups and downs in the professional game.

‘I think the game itself drives you; there are ups and downs for sure,’ Furman tells SoccerClub. ‘One minute you think you are at the top of your game and you’re flying. The next minute you have a poor game or a bad defeat and someone is trying to knock you down.

‘It’s those things that drive me to improve and raise my game. I always feel like I’m learning. The day I stop learning is when I might as well hang up my boots. Every day is a chance to get better and I’m determined to reach my peak, wherever that might be.’

Part of being at an elite club like SuperSport is the threat of losing your position with the influx of transfers and competition. Furman relishes the battle as it helps everyone lift their game.

‘Competition is something we have to put up with. Sometimes you get disappointed and lose your place, as I did last year [in the Bafana lineup], but it’s something I seem to thrive on. I fight my hardest when the chips are down. I work hard and I try to turn it back around in my favour.’

The Cape Town-born star proved he can back up his talk on the pitch with a string of dynamic club performances, helping him regain his place in the national team under Shakes Mashaba for the recent World Cup qualifiers.

Stuart Baxter’s arrival at SuperSport has added another element to deal with, but Furman reveals he is enjoying playing under the former Kaizer Chiefs coach.

‘I’m settled and very happy under the management. The team spirit in the camp is great and it’s wonderful to be a part of it,’ adds Furman.

Furman expects a rejuvenated Matsatsantsa to be mixing it with the title-contenders in May with the club focused on pressing on after Nedbank Cup glory, even if SuperSport remain outside South Africa’s ‘big three’ clubs.

‘We aren’t going to complain about being under the radar in terms of expectations from the outside. We have our expectations from within; we know what we can do with our squad.

‘We showed what we are capable of at the end of last season. Add the quality signings we’ve made to the squad and we should be challenging for trophies across all competitions.’

Did you know?

Furman made his international debut against Brazil on 8 September 2012. The midfielder won his Man of the Match award against Mozambique three days later.