Can Tokelo fulfil his No 9 potential?

It's the question that a lot of AFCB fans probably don't want to answer because they simply can't be certain one way or another if TK is a genius with the football in waiting or dare I say it - a bit of a misfit. From what I have seen of the South African striker I have fallen into the camp of - give him some time and let him settle and let's see if he grows into the player we all want to see. The clock is of course ticking though for everyone at the club and number 9 strikers probably have less time than most to make an impression. If only the will of the majority of supporters could fill Rantie's boots with the encouragement he needs we just might see the striker can take the Championship by storm.

Eddie has no doubts that Tokelo can be AFCB's star striker this season.

If Rantie goes on though to have a stella season you won't expect to see the club hold onto him for long. He is the sort of player that excites the crowd and gets noticed when he does the spectacular or extraordinary, and yet for most of the time we will ask why did he not score that great chance? Will it be different this season? I don't know, but Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall will have invested a lot of time in trying to get things just right for TK. Lewis Grabban was not the expected leading gold scorer at the start of last season and I don't expect Tokelo is top of everyone's goal scoring chart for 2014./15.

Does TK need to develop a bit of a mean streak? I would hate to see him change his lovable character with the fans but I would like to see a hunger about his game that let the opposition know that he was there to spoil their day. That's not to say that nice guys can't be top striker. Gary Lineker hardly ever got a card and I don't think Peter Beardsley was feared for his aggression, they simply were good at putting the ball in the back of the net. If you have the knack of being able to do that it is surprising how much else a striker can get away with during a match.

This season for TK, AFCB need him to mature into a productive striker. Giving him the number 9 shirt could well be a clever decision that means a lot to TK. Yes, others could start games ahead of him. He may be the third, fourth or fifth placed striker in Eddie Howe's mind at the moment, but that doesn't mean he can't become the No 9 that everyone fears when he is going at goal by the end of the season. Go on TK, make a name for yourself!